There's been discussion on several Lists about storing eggs for hatching in the fridge. I said that others do it, so I was going to experiment.

The eggs were about 4 days old that I took out of the fridge. Mamas were bantam Cochins, dads were Standard Old English Game. The eggs were bantam Cochin size. I let the eggs warm up to room temp and put them under a broody bantam Cochin. BUT, when the Cochin was off the nest, a broody Old English Game hen would sit on the eggs. I never knew who would be sitting when I looked in the nest box! -LOL- The OEG seemed to be winning, so I put some other eggs under the Cochin.

Because I've never seen the guineas breed, I took a couple of their eggs out of the fridge and put them under the Cochin. I certainly don't want more guineas, but I was curious to see if they would hatch. I'll know next week.

Well, today I was greeted with peepers under the OEG! I saw several little ones, but I couldn't see the exact amount yet. I'll have to wait to see how many hatched.

So, refrigerated eggs DO hatch!!!!!!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 18, 2001

Answers

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

I never would have believed it!!!!! Thanks for the experiment!!

-- Pat (mikulptrc@aol.com), May 19, 2001.

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

When I got to thinking about it, the hatch wasn't so unusual. During the winter, my chooks built a clutch. Some of the nights were in the teens and twenties before a hen started to set. All of the eggs hatched.

A bunch of folks have told me they're having much better hatches in their incubators since they've been refrigerating the eggs. They keep the eggs in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 19, 2001.

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

cool i had read that somewhere a month ago and was telling my husband about it and he didn't beleave it so now I can say I told you so.I want to try it with my hens but I think there leghorns they are all white and lay brown and green eggs the kids got them for easter 2 years ago someone gave them to the kids I have one hen that tryed to hatch eggs a year ago and didn't take I think it was to hot i am in arizona and it was summer time it gets really hot.other then the one hen no others have tryed to set not even heragain

-- Lisa Miller (ljmill35@aol.com), May 21, 2001.

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

== I want to try it with my hens but I think there leghorns they are all white and lay brown and green eggs the kids got them for easter 2 years ago ==

Lisa, Leghorns lay white eggs. Ameraucanas (Easter Eggers) lay green eggs.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 25, 2001.

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

thanks rogo I wasn't sure what type of bird they were now I do thanks again .

Lisa

-- Lisa Miller (Ljmill35 @aol.com), May 26, 2001.

Response to THEY HATCHED!!!!

Rogo are ameraucanas good seaters do they make good mother.

Lisa

-- Lisa Miller (ljmill35@aol.com), May 27, 2001.

== Rogo are ameraucanas good seaters do they make good mothers. ==

Lisa, I've never had the breed, so I can't give you an answer.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 29, 2001.