Storing fertilized eggs in the fridge - what's the optimal humidity?

[VlkStinu]

Hi there, I've read a couple of articles about storing fertilized eggs - I have two laying hens whose eggs I want to incubate, so to gather a larger amount of eggs, I will have to wait at least a week before I will collect enough to starting incubating. Which means I will have to store the collected eggs. The best place for that at my disposal is in the fridge - from what I read, the fridge is usually a bit drier than it should ideally be, but I don't think that is the case with my fridge. The temperature is 7°C (which is optimal from what I've gathered) and it actually seems quite humid (definitely more than I would like haha ). I was wondering what would you say is the optimal humidity in terms of % for storing the fertilized eggs? I will get a measurement with my humidity meter to see what the levels are in there.

 

[hysop]

I had never heard of storing fertilized eggs in the refrigerator if you are wanting to hatch them.

Can you store them in the counter? That’s where I store mine if I’m wanting to incubate. Pointy side down. I have an old egg turner where I set mine and it will turn my eggs until I finally have all the eggs I want to incubate then I add to the incubator.

 

[Tre3hugger]

Agree with @hysop , I would just store them on the counter

 

[Percheron chick]

I have hatched guinea eggs that were stored on the kitchen counter for over 4 weeks and had a 30% hatch rate. Had not intended to hatch them so they weren't turned. A week or even 2 is nothing. If a hen lays an average of 5 eggs a week, it takes up to 2 weeks for her to lay enough eggs to brood and those eggs are exposed to the elements.

 

[VlkStinu]

Thank you for all the replies!
Oh really? So you wouldn't store them in cold at all? I have roughly 20-22 degrees at home, so on the counter as well. Humidity moves around 40%, sometimes a bit more, sometimes less - isn't that too dry? So you would just put them upside down (the pointy end down) in the egg carton and that's it? Would I need to turn the eggs before the incubation? I wanted to incubate 10 eggs, so it would take roughly 5-7 days to get them all from 2 hens, so it shouldn't be too long.

 

[Tre3hugger]

I currently have 2 cartons on the counter from I have been collecting in for about a week. I plan on setting 22 eggs in about 4 days. I just let them sit on the counter at room temp (55-65). For turning, place a coaster or wood scrap under one short end of the carton. Switch it a couple times a day. this will move the eggs enough. Honestly I don't even do that though. They just get jostled a bit when I add eggs.

 

[Jovajay0926]

I just keep mine on the counter until I’ve gather enough.

 

[VlkStinu]

I currently have 2 cartons on the counter from I have been collecting in for about a week. I plan on setting 22 eggs in about 4 days. I just let them sit on the counter at room temp (55-65). For turning, place a coaster or wood scrap under one short end of the carton. Switch it a couple times a day. this will move the eggs enough. Honestly I don't even do that though. They just get jostled a bit when I add eggs.

Oh, 55-65 is quite a low temperature... Isn't mine a bit too high? I don't have a room where it's cooler, unfortunately...

For the turning, I am working from home, so I have time to turn them from time to time individually (it will be just a couple of eggs). Should I just turn them around a vertical axis or any special technique of turning?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Because I live in Hawaii I cannot personally keep my eggs on the counter or they will start to develop. I keep my hatching eggs in the refrigerator. It is a little extra refrigerator we use for drinks and I keep it at the warmest setting which is about 45°F. I can keep my eggs in there for up to two weeks. Any longer and the viability goes down significantly.
I keep them pointy side down and turn them from side to side about three times a day.

 

[Percheron chick]

Put a mark on the eggs and date. Put them in a muffin pan or egg carton on the counter pointy end down. Orient them all with the mark up. 3 or more times a day, give them a 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Not an exact science. You are just trying to keep the yolk centered. Think how a hen will disturb a clutch of eggs every time she lays another egg. Turning them mimicks it.