Anyone every heard you don't set eggs for hatching when it is storming? My mother said it was a old wives tale she heard growing up. I'm wondering if a storm effects eggs in the bator. We've had thunder storms 2 days straight (power did not go off), I have eggs due to hatch today and so far nothing.

-- Lesa in Va (Lemaradd@aol.com), March 17, 2002

Answers

I have in fact heard that. I don't know why. There are also several cooking thing involving eggs and thunderstorms-like whipping eggs whites and other things like that.

-- Kelly (homearts2002@yahoo.com), March 17, 2002.

I couldn't say if it's an old wive's tale or not. Generally speaking however, the more vigorous the thunderstom the lower the atmospheric air pressure. It might be that this drop could adversely affect the hatchability of the egg.

Of course, it might all be a lot of hooey too.

.......Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), March 17, 2002.

Hi there I asked the same question on one of the poultry boards and the reply I recieved from a poultry school graduate was that when it thunders etc the humidity increases which then can possibly affect the hatchability of the eggs. However the thunder itself does'nt do any damage. An old wives tale? well I guess yes. The lady also said it is a very low chance that it will be a problem. cheers to all Kiwikaren

-- kiwikaren (fp116@ihug.co.nz), March 17, 2002.

I don't have a 'bator; I use my hens for hatching (who set all year around in any kind of weather!), but aside from what's been said, I suspect the power going off could be a problem.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), March 18, 2002.

when a bad storm comes in and the barometric pressure drops it has all sorts of funny adverse effects. for example, more women will go into labour, but it will also push more borderline problems into a "problem state" such as pushing the bloodpressure up, etc. it will also cause a person with very high blood pressure to have it raise even higher. it has to do with the low barometric pressure and how it effects the fluids and tissues of the body. so, my guess might be that it could have something to do with this. i also know it is harder to get mayonnaise to "take", etc., on these types of days.

-- marcee (thathope@mwt.net), March 19, 2002.