Getting a second incubator is not an option. I've considered trying to build a second, but I don't think I have the time.
I have a set of eggs due next week Thursday (day 13ish right now).
And another set that's in the same incubator that didn't get set til the following Sunday (3 days later) because I just happened on another farm selling hatching eggs and wanted to get some fresh blood in my flock.
I've been checking and eggs are looking good... roughly 15 from each hatch.
I'm comfortable with opening my incubator during hatch to pull out the chicks (that's what I did last time, because the first time I think they knocked the other eggs around so much that I ended up with a low hatch rate because of it). Even with opening the incubator repeatedly, I still had a 75% hatch rate where everything that made it to day 20 did actually hatch. I will have my brooder set up and toasty warm so they can dry off in there...
So anyway, can I put the eggs that are going to hatch later in egg cartons in the incubator and let the little guys hatching just roll around?
Should I cut the bottoms off the egg cartons?
Will it be ok to take the egg turner out at day 15 for the late batch?
Will the high humidity from day 15-18 be a huge problem?
I'm going to basically end up with 2 lockdowns in a row in the incubator and just hope it doesn't kill the second batch...
Anybody done this before?
I have a set of eggs due next week Thursday (day 13ish right now).
And another set that's in the same incubator that didn't get set til the following Sunday (3 days later) because I just happened on another farm selling hatching eggs and wanted to get some fresh blood in my flock.
I've been checking and eggs are looking good... roughly 15 from each hatch.
I'm comfortable with opening my incubator during hatch to pull out the chicks (that's what I did last time, because the first time I think they knocked the other eggs around so much that I ended up with a low hatch rate because of it). Even with opening the incubator repeatedly, I still had a 75% hatch rate where everything that made it to day 20 did actually hatch. I will have my brooder set up and toasty warm so they can dry off in there...
So anyway, can I put the eggs that are going to hatch later in egg cartons in the incubator and let the little guys hatching just roll around?
Should I cut the bottoms off the egg cartons?
Will it be ok to take the egg turner out at day 15 for the late batch?
Will the high humidity from day 15-18 be a huge problem?
I'm going to basically end up with 2 lockdowns in a row in the incubator and just hope it doesn't kill the second batch...
Anybody done this before?