[teresac]

I few days ago one of my hens was sitting on eggs so I have bought some fertilised eggs for her to hatch out, been up there today and she is no were to be seen!!!!

The eggs arrived this morning, I have ordered an incubator, how long have I got to get them in there!!!!

[naturesparadise]

I few days ago one of my hens was sitting on eggs so I have bought some fertilised eggs for her to hatch out, been up there today and she is no were to be seen!!!!

The eggs arrived this morning, I have ordered an incubator, how long have I got to get them in there!!!!

she will leave to feed drink and do her biz

but i think im right in saying you have 3 weeks but thats pushing it a bit

plus you will need to set up the incubator for at least 24 hours   before puting the eggs in

[chicken soup]

I few days ago one of my hens was sitting on eggs so I have bought some fertilised eggs for her to hatch out, been up there today and she is no were to be seen!!!!

The eggs arrived this morning, I have ordered an incubator, how long have I got to get them in there!!!!

she will leave to feed drink and do her biz

but i think im right in saying you have 3 weeks but thats pushing it a bit

plus you will need to set up the incubator for at least 24 hours   before puting the eggs in

In the past as my broody would change her mind and go off being broody just when I least expect it I have given the broody false eggs and incubated the fertile ones.  Then as they near their hatch dates I have slipped them under the broody and removed the false eggs.  I have even cheated and put day old chicks under her at night and she seems to accept them.

But as naturesparadise said you need to have the incubator up and running for at least 24 hours to make sure the temperature is stable before you put eggs in.  As for how long you can keep the eggs before hand it depends how old the eggs are when you get them I have incubated eggs that have been nearly two weeks old and they have been ok.  You must store them pointy end down. I usually put them in a egg box and prop up one end then at night prop up the other end if you get what I mean.

[teresac]

Great done that!!!!

Very excitied now!!!

[naturesparadise]

Great done that!!!!

Very excitied now!!!

please be warned that they may not hatch and even if they do they can still die on you

not trying to put you off just trying to prepare you for what could happen

[Viv]

The ones that I are just hatching in my incubator I got from ebay. I stored them for three days in the box in a cool room, tllting the box twice a day so that the inside did not stick to the shell. I had to do this as I had ordered from different sellers and they did not all arrive on the same day.
The guy at our local Poultry Shop said that you could store up to three weeks if kept cool and turned twice a day before 'setting' in the incubator.

[chicken soup]

I have ordered an incubator, how long have I got to get them in there!!!!

Just being nosey really but which incubator have you ordered?

[teresac]

This one

Covatutto 6

So do I turn the eggs twice a day??

[snozzer]

No, turn the eggs at the very minimum 3 times a day, but you will get much better results if you turn 7,9,11 or 13 times a day.  Always an odd number.

A hen turns eggs around 40 times a day...

[teresac]

Okay I have them in the kitchen so I can turn them every time I am in there!!!

Just realised that I haven't thought about what to do once chicks have hatched advice please!!!!  Do I need to buy a brooder, or would a heat lamp over a box be okay for them!!

[teresac]

Also the eggs are dirty and I have read that you can't wash them but to wipe them with a dry cloth!!!  I don't think this will get the dirt off!!!

[naturesparadise]

out of interest how long between each turn

[teresac]

I left them pointy side down so do I turn them so pointy side up and then back again or lay them flat side down and turn them that way!!

[chicken soup]

A hen turns eggs around 40 times a day...

Wow you learn something new every day what a busy hen.

I turn my eggs when the turner has packed up  :evil:  three or five times a day.

As for brooder I use a box for the first few days with a light over then a old rabbit cage with an electric hen. The reason being I like to keep an eye on newly hatched chicks for a day or two as they tend to hide under the electric hen so I can't see them.  :roll:

I would just wipe the dirty eggs and then leave them as they are. I read somewhere that when you wash them you take off the protective layer and germs etc can get in easier not sure if thats correct or not though.

Timing turning the eggs depends when I get out of bed and go back to bed.  I just divide the day up into thirds or fifths.  I don't usually like my eggs to go more than 8 hours unturned though but I guess thats just me.

[chicken soup]

I left them pointy side down so do I turn them so pointy side up and then back again or lay them flat side down and turn them that way!!

Are they in the incubator or still in the egg box?  If they are in the incubator I lay them down on their sides with a x on one side and o on the other and turn them from one to the other.  First turning them clockwise then on next turning anti clockwise if that makes sense.

If they are still in the egg box I just prop one end of the box up and then on a night prop the other end of the egg box up.  I personally don't handle the eggs much apart from turning them in the incubator and candling them at around ten days.