Incubating Dillema

DaveMorehouse

Songster
7 Years
Nov 28, 2016
72
32
141
Lake Superior in upper Michigan
Hi.

I received 24 of 48 eggs that I ordered. Of those, 10 were broken. I put the other 14 in my Little Giant (With fan and egg turner) last Wednesday. I have communicated with the seller and he has agreed to correct the order and send me 48 new eggs tomorrow. (Monday) They should arrive on Wednesday. Can I add the 48 to the 14 alread in the incubator for a week? How will this affect lockdown?

Thanks, in advance, for any help.
Dave
 
Can you borrow an incubator from a friend or neighbor? Or maybe create a DIY one? I don't see this working out well with just the one incubator. I imagine it will result in a lower hatch rate.

If you have no other choice I would start by marking the ones that have already been in there a week and figuring a way to segregate them in the incubator you have in a way that they won't be turned and the others will be turned (once lock down begins for them). Or maybe not use the egg turner after the first batch begins lock down and do it manually?
 
Thanks, ShangoBunny.

I am in the middle of nowhere and another incubator isn't an option. I may try the simultaneous hatch as per your suggestion. Will the higher humidity of lockdown mess up the larger group of eggs though? I have veins showing in a few of the eggs already and I hate to toss them. I also hate to jeopardize the larger hatch. Perhaps I could remove a few of the rails from the automatic egg turner and put the older eggs in that space? (Or would the new hatches infect the other eggs that are a week behind?)

I am a newbie to incubation. My apologies if these are foolish questions. Thanks again for your thoughts.
Dave
 
I'm still new to incubation myself, but have run into a similar problem. The best thing to do (IMO) is concentrate on the larger hatch and do what you can for the 10 that are older. In the future I plan to find a small backup incubator for when I run into these issues because it seems to happen more often than I ever expected. Good luck with your hatch and don't forget to post pics! :)
 
If I were you, I would just run the incubator for the larger hatch. Leave the previous eggs in and set them for lockdown, maybe you can set them in a mesh basket (sanitize a dollar store office supply basket) so the hatching chicks don't get the second batch eggs dirty. I did this to keep some breeds of bantam chicks separate from each other during​ hatch. It might work to keep your 2nd batch clean. I would not bump the humidity much on the first hatch for the sake of the second. Your other option is to try to make a diy incubator to move the first batch to just for lockdown and hatching. Good luck!
 
What type of quail cots or bobs?

If the eggs you are getting are fresh like gathered sat or sunday. It would push the envelope a little but leave them out for a week. Set next wed.

Then the set you are incubating are on day 14. Cots hatch in 18. Raise your humidity for the 1st batch set the 2nd batch.

A couple of days of higher humidity won't hurt them. After the first batch hatches. Remove all water clean bator and finish the 2nd batch.

Since your using a styro I assume you are incubating with low humidity.

All the above suggestions in previous posts are good.

Mine is just another option
 
They are Coturnix, Feedman77. I was sent 24 eggs instead of the 48 purchased. 10 were broken and I put the other 14 in the 'bator. The seller is resending the order of 48 this week. I would guess they were gathered on the weekend. I hate to endanger the 48 for possible success for the 14. Then again, I also hate to toss the 14 once they have started. I'll candle them tomorrow and see what they look like.

In your opinion, the 48 could sit another 8 days even though they are likely to be 5 or 6 days old when received?

Thanks again, to everyone, for your help. I am a rank newbie when it comes to incubation. I have always raised chickens from grown pullets. Quail and incubation are new journeys for me. I am having fun but, despite reading all I can, I seem to be short in the knowledge department.

Thanks,
Dave
 
Most times you can let them set 10 days to 14 days. There is a possibility that hatch rate could go down.

But it would not bother me to let them set a week. Since they were shipped it would give the air cell time to settle.

If I was faced with the situation you are I believe that's what I would do.

Cot. Eggs are pretty forgiving. I set some to check for fertility. Unplugged turner to move some thing around forgot to plug it back in. Only turned them about 4 days. Got 7 of 11 to hatch.
 
So, if I understand correctly, I would take the autoturner out on day 14, add the 48 new eggs, increase the humidity for lockdown until the 14 (or so) hatch. Then I would take the 48 out, clean the 'bator, put the turner back in, and add the 48.

I assume I would need to turn the 48 by hand for those few days of lockdown for the oldest eggs. Right?
 

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