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kandm
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| Joined: | 5 March 2008 |
| Location: | United Kingdom |
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Posted: 13 March 2008 04:01 pm | 1st Post |
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.... We have been offered some hatching eggs that we have been looking for ages. Our hens are not yet broody and I wondered if we bought the eggs now and stored them would they hatch later in the year?
Any help appreciated.
If you have experience of storing chicken hatching eggs....
- did they hatch?
- how did you store them?
- how long for?
Thanks in advance,
Kate 
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wendy
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| Joined: | 13 January 2008 |
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Posted: 14 March 2008 12:45 am | 2nd Post |
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Hi there
We hatch off chicks all year round with broody hens and incubators. You can keep eggs up to 3 weeks if you look after them. collect the eggs you want and put them in an egg box, then turn the boxes 3 times a day untill you are ready to incubate them. If you can collect enough in a week that is the best for end results in hatching. Any eggs over 3 weeks old is not a good idea if they do hatch chicks are weak. Store the eggs while collecting them in a cool place but not a fridge. Good luck and if you are useing broody hens confine them to a pen as they get lost and go and sit on the wrong eggs  if you dont they need a bit of help when they first start off. Happy hatching Byeee
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wendy
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Posted: 14 March 2008 12:56 am | 3rd Post |
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Hi again I forgot to say , you can see if they are fertile at 1 week into incubation by candling them. Any that are not should be removed. leaving mum to do the rest.
To candle an egg go to a dark place and shine a bright torch or candler ( which you can buy from ascot smallholder suppliers) on the wide top part of the egg you will see an air pocket forming and a solid mass inside the egg any egg that looks clear with the yolk floating about is not fertile
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