# Self Sufficiency/Living off the Land or Off the Grid > Gardening >  Fertilized eggs freezing & storage for incubating

## Sourdough

The problem is the geese are laying eggs (started March 31'st). It is 5* above or 7* above at night and the fertilized eggs are freezing and breaking.

Question: How should I store them so I can put them back and she can sit them. Do I put them in the refrigerator....? And if so how long can fertilized eggs be kept for future incubation....???? Hope that is clear.

If you don't know what your talking about on this subject please don't post your GUESS. Thank-you.

Most days it gets up to 32* above. And "NO" I don't want to build a heated hen'house........And I don't want to eat the eggs, unless there is no hope of storing them for 30 days.

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## tennecedar

Are they tame or wild geese?

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## nell67

Hope,a fertile egg is completely dormant until properly incubated for 5 or 6 days,which is why a bird of any feather can lay eggs over a several day or even week period before actually settling down to "sit",including through freezing temps,although eggs that have been frozen have a lower percentage of actually hatching out.

I do not refrigerate nor freeze eggs that I intend to return to a hen wanting to sit,or put into an incubator,I keep them at room temperature.

I have 21 goose eggs I picked up last night from a guy who wanted to get rid of all his geese,they go into an incubator tomorrow,since removing the eggs and momma from her nest "broke" her nest,and she will not resit them.

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## Rick

And think about that poor hen trying to sit on a frozen egg! Brrrrr.

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## Alpine_Sapper

So, forgive me for being dense, but why not just eat these, and hatch the ones laid when the weather warms up?

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## nell67

Alpine,some breeds of geese only lay eggs for a short period of time each year,especially in the colder climates,so saving the eggs may be the only way to have hatchlings for the year.

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## Sourdough

> So, forgive me for being dense, but why not just eat these, and hatch the ones laid when the weather warms up?



Mainly this has been for my education, and as I know to cook and eat eggs, I want to concentrate on making gosling's. If I can master that I'll have eggs for survival.

For example who would have thought that they could live outdoors, with no heat, no straw, no water, just snow, and -36* below zero for three weeks straight, and not freeze to death. I only gave them food, they ate snow for water. Very interesting to me. The turkeys made it under the same conditions. I feel this is very important information to learn about survival in the arctic.

Nell, thanks Lady...... :Smile:  :Smile:  :Smile: 



 :Smile:

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## Alpine_Sapper

> Alpine,some breeds of geese only lay eggs for a short period of time each year,especially in the colder climates,so saving the eggs may be the only way to have hatchlings for the year.


I just assumed that geese were like chickens and layed eggs all year round.

Thanks Nell.

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## Sourdough

> I just assumed that geese were like chickens and layed eggs all year round.
> 
> Thanks Nell.



You can regulate the the egg production with artificial light, however I am pretending SHTF, & no electric for this education project. Another thing that I have learned Is the story you hear is they start laying when daylight reaches 11 hours per day, but that did not happen, it had to reach 13.5 hours of daylight this year. Always learning. :Smile:

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## RunsWithDeer

Hopeak,  I was told never let the eggs freeze if you plan to hatch them.  They usually crack anyway when frozen.  What I do for turkeys is ( I think geese would be similar): 
 * Collect frequently, especially in your cold climate
 * Store eggs in a carton, large end up (point down)
 * Prop one end of carton up, about a 30 degree angle.  Rotate ends of carton everyday.
 * Store at room temp, 55-70 degrees, but they also need humidity.  I place mine under a tub, with a bowl of water along with it.
 * The longest I have ever kept eggs before incubating has been about 15 days.  I was told not to exceed 3 weeks or the hatch rate will be bad. 

You might want to consider a home made incubator.  I had one I made myself for quite awhile, until two years ago my wife bought me a Hove-Bator.  Mine was made with a light bulb inside a styrofoam cooler, with a manual vent.  I had to watch the temps close, and manually rotate the eggs twice a day.  I kept a pan of water inside to keep the humidity up.  It worked, but my hatch rates are much better now with a commercial unit and a lot less work to monitor.

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## Sourdough

RWD, Request you post information about turkeys, what you have learned. I am more and more understanding that small farms, are not only nurturing to the spirit, but offer highest chance of economic and physical survival.

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