Impact of Cold Storage and Temperature on Chicken Egg Hatch Rates

[HenHaven]

Ive been experimenting with hatching chicken eggs to understand what can be done to them and still get successful hatches. Recently, I encountered a puzzling issue where I had a 25% mortality rate in late-term embryos after water candling, something I hadnt experienced before. However, I saw the same results in two subsequent hatches, even though I didnt water candle and was frequently turning the eggs. The common factor was the cold weather.

For context, my previous experiments with fridge eggs yielded excellent development, but I didnt take them all the way to hatching. However, the last three hatchesover 50 eggs in totalhappened during the winter months (December/January), with ambient temperatures in the pens around 32F. I collected eggs every couple of days, and although I didnt freeze them, they were stored in cold conditions for 48-72 hours.

Normally, I have less than 10% late embryonic death or failure to hatch, but in these colder conditions, the hatch rate dropped to 25-40%. Even though development seemed good, the cold storage appears to have significantly impacted hatch rates.

The main takeaway here is that if youre collecting hatching eggs during freezing or near-freezing temperatures, try to gather them multiple times a day to reduce exposure to the cold. Additionally, avoid storing hatching eggs in the fridge as it seems to reduce hatch rates. If youre hatching eggs from cold or fridge-stored conditions, be prepared for lower hatch rates and consider hatching extra eggs to offset this.

[FowlPlayMaster]

It could also be that the cold storage impacts the membrane inside the egg, making it harder for the chick to fully develop. Ive found that I get better results with eggs stored at around 55-60F. Anything colder than that, and I notice a drop in hatch rates. Maybe storing eggs in a cooler with some insulation could help avoid these issues.

[DownyDreamer]

I think the cold weather could certainly be affecting your hatch rates. I once stored eggs in an unheated garage in the winter, and I experienced similar results. I now try to store eggs in a place that's not too cold but not too warm either, around 50F. It seems to help with better hatch rates.

[Eggplorer]

The cold definitely slows down the development of the embryos. If you're collecting eggs during freezing temperatures, I'd recommend storing them in a room with a steady temperature, or even in a cupboard. Also, checking the temperature of the incubator and making sure it's stable can help mitigate the effects of cold storage.

[RoostRuler]

Cold weather definitely affects hatch rates. I had a similar experience last winter where eggs collected in freezing temps had a lower hatch rate. My solution was to keep the eggs at room temperature for a few hours before placing them in the incubator. That gave them a bit of a chance to "warm up" and helped with hatch rates.

[EggHatchHobbyist]

Interesting! I've read before that freezing temps can kill the embryos, but I didn't think slightly cooler conditions would have the same effect. I might try to warm the eggs before setting them in the incubator next time if I store them in cold conditions for any period of time. It seems like that could give them a better shot.

[CoopCrafter]

I've noticed the same thing when eggs are stored in cold conditions, especially for a few days. I've started warming my eggs up to room temperature for about an hour before incubating them, and it seems to improve hatch rates. Maybe a quick warm-up can help those embryos get a better start if they've been exposed to cold.

[EggSeeker]

I agree with your observation about the cold. When I stored eggs in cooler environments during winter, I noticed similar results. Eggs that were in colder conditions didn't seem to develop as well, even though the eggs weren't frozen. One thing that helped me was to incubate the eggs earlier than usual if they'd been in the cold for a while. That seemed to give the embryos a better chance.

[TheBroodyOne]

That's a great observation! I've dealt with cold weather hatching before, and I noticed the hatch rates were much better when the eggs were stored in a more consistent temperature. I started using an insulated egg carton to store my eggs in, and that made a noticeable difference in hatch rates during winter.

[FlockVoyager]

Great post! I think your cold weather theory holds water. I store eggs in a cool room, but I also try to avoid anything below 50°F. Once the eggs dip below that temperature for more than a couple of hours, it seems like I get poor development. I've started collecting eggs more frequently and keeping them in a warmer area until I can get them into the incubator.