# Incubation question



## JeepGirl (Aug 2, 2017)

My duck laid her 1st egg yesterday (yay).

So, now I'm wondering...if I leave an egg sitting on my counter for a few days (7 days max) before incubation, with no heat or extra care, will it still be able to hatch? 
 And if at the time of candling, I find there's no development, is the egg still ok for consumption?


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## frustratedearthmother (Aug 2, 2017)

Probably and probably!     Don't really know duck eggs - but in chicken eggs I'd give you the same answer.  Lots of folks never refrigerate eggs - and some folks have even successfully incubated store bought refrigerated eggs.


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## Alaskan (Aug 2, 2017)

If you leave it on the counter for longer than 5 or 7 days, it is best to rotate it every so often.   With rotating it, and keeping it cool-ish (I think the ideal is 45-60F, but I can't remember for sure), you will still have excellent hatching success up to 2 weeks.  After 2 weeks, success rates decrease, but do not goto zero.

My personal cut-off is 3 weeks.  Those still hatch pretty well.

As to eating it. ..  after incubating for more than a day I would be scared to....

But, whatever....I am sure if it was going to make you sick you would probably be able to smell stink once you cracked it....so go for it.


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## JeepGirl (Aug 2, 2017)

Thanks for the quick responses yall!
 Development does not begin until incubation,  correct?


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## babsbag (Aug 2, 2017)

Development starts at incubation, that is correct. It is so hot in my coop right now that I think the eggs would start incubation just sitting there. Actually it is probably too hot. 114°...  I would not eat the egg that has not developed. You probably could...but I couldn't.


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## JeepGirl (Aug 3, 2017)

babsbag said:


> Development starts at incubation, that is correct. It is so hot in my coop right now that I think the eggs would start incubation just sitting there. Actually it is probably too hot. 114°...  I would not eat the egg that has not developed. You probably could...but I couldn't.



Yyyeah, maybe not lol.
It's so cold in NC...49° when I left work this morning.  What a Summer.


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## babsbag (Aug 3, 2017)

JeepGirl said:


> It's so cold in NC...49°



I would be happy with a 94° right now, but 49°??? That isn't summer.


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