Did you know? Eggs can severely deteriorate if you don’t store them properly. And you might already know how hard it is to handle these slippery fragile things.
That is why it is crucial for you to know how to store the eggs when you are collecting them for incubation. One wrong move can lead to a full destruction of your chick hatching plans.
Did we make you nervous? Well, you should be!
The life of several baby chicks literally depends on how you treat the eggs.
Here are a handful of things to keep in mind when you store your eggs:
1. Testing Temperature
Temperature is one of the most important things when it comes to storing any item. We can’t emphasize how true this is for eggs. That is why you ensure that your storage situation is at an optimum range 12-15 degree centigrade (50 – 69 degree Fahrenheit).
What happens if the temperature is not right?
- High temperatures hinder the development of the embryo inside the eggs
- Low temperatures cause the cell structure to freeze and eventually break apart before the embryo has developed
Moreover, the humidity must be kept at 75-80% RH. Otherwise, the eggs might dry out before they ever reached the incubator.
2. Timely Actions
Time is of the essence when you are executing this delicate task.
Some timely actions to take:
- Collect eggs in the morning around 9 am or after lunch hour.
- Never leave eggs in the nest for more than 24 hours as they won’t incubate properly.
- Don’t let a week go by before incubating your eggs. A day too late is a day wasted!
3. Handle with Care
Mishandling an egg is pretty easy. They are prone to crack and break at the smallest bump and they are also vulnerable to the elements.
That is why you should:
- Hold them gently when you are transferring them from one place to another
- Clean the eggs if they are soiled and keep them in hygienic places
- Discard eggs from the basket that are misshaped or have started forming crack lines
4. Perfect Placement and Turns
Did you know? Egg placement can make or break the egg yolk.
Thus, you should turn the egg once a day at an angle of 45 degrees. This prevents the yolk from floating and touching the shell’s membrane. More importantly, you need to make sure that the pointed end of your eggs is facing downwards. Otherwise, the eggs will not hatch properly and may cause deformities in the baby chick.
That’s it. If you carefully adherer to these details, you will not be facing extra troubles during the hatching period. As you already know, ‘prevention is better than the cure’. And in this case there is no cure, there are just broken eggs and damaged egg yolks.
Need some help?
Little Fields Farm can assist you in all your poultry needs. The online store has high-quality incubators and other incubation equipment that can be delivered right at your doorstep.
Stay tuned...
Part Two of this article is all about keeping the incubator secure for the impending hatching.
