Hands on hatching and help

[jenniferlamar70]

If you will set the duck eggs(not muscovy) 1 week before the chicken eggs then they can hatch together. If you set them at the same time without another incubator to move the chicken egg into on day 18 to start hatching------that's a staggered hatch and is not recommended in my opinion.

No I mean set them at the same time and on day 18 move the chicken eggs to another incubator?

 

[jenniferlamar70]

I'm not a big fan of staggered hatches either. I was going to say the same, set the ducks as long as they are the 28 day incubation breeds, a week before the chickens and they can all hatch together. 

But to answer your question, Jennifer, yes you can incubate them together and seperate them out at lockdown.

Is it better to set the chicks later and have them hatch together or just move the chicks to their own incubator at hatch time? Thanks.

 

[Sarah Catherine]

This is the only chick to hatch! I'm leaving the other eggs for a few more days, but I moved her to a box with a heat lamp. I showed her the water and dipped her beak, and her crumbles (she nodded off in those).... But I'm worried she won't pick up on things being an only. Any tips? She's sleeping in my daughter's slipper- the only way we could quiet her.

 

[FridayYet]

No I mean set them at the same time and on day 18 move the chicken eggs to another incubator?

One thing to think about - will the duck eggs and the chicken eggs lose moisture at the same rate? I've found that smaller, lighter eggs need more humidity, larger, darker eggs need less. So next year I'm going to try to only set similar eggs together in the same incubator so I can adjust humidity according to the air cells.

Hopefully someone who incubates them together will chime in - I've never done it myself, and don't think I would want to.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

This is the only chick to hatch! I'm leaving the other eggs for a few more days, but I moved her to a box with a heat lamp. I showed her the water and dipped her beak, and her crumbles (she nodded off in those).... But I'm worried she won't pick up on things being an only. Any tips? She's sleeping in my daughter's slipper- the only way we could quiet her.

I had a silkie chick who's litter mate didn't make it. I went out and bought a stuffed dog that sat on its haunches. The chick would burrow under it thinking it was mama. I kept It in there for a few weeks until it could go with some of the bigger chicks.

 

[jenniferlamar70]

Ok guys day 9/10 and my eggs don't look like they are developing enough. 4 of them had decent sized chicks moving around. The others had major veining but I couldn't see a chick. What does this mean? Could the temp spike in the other incubator have killed them. I hope not. I really hope it was because they were shipped. I'd feel awful if it's my fault..

 

[PD-Riverman]

No I mean set them at the same time and on day 18 move the chicken eggs to another incubator?

That will be Fine!!

 

[RubyNala97]

One thing to think about - will the duck eggs and the chicken eggs lose moisture at the same rate?  I've found that smaller, lighter eggs need more humidity, larger, darker eggs need less.  So next year I'm going to try to only set similar eggs together in the same incubator so I can adjust humidity according to the air cells. 

Hopefully someone who incubates them together will chime in - I've never done it myself, and don't think I would want to.  

This is exactly what I was thinking!

Ok guys day 9/10 and my eggs don't look like they are developing enough. 4 of them had decent sized chicks moving around. The others had major veining but I couldn't see a chick. What does this mean? Could the temp spike in the other incubator have killed them. I hope not. I really hope it was because they were shipped. I'd feel awful if it's my fault..

It's really the veining that is important to see at this point. Each egg and each breed will develop at its own rate. And depending on each shell's color and thickness it can be hard to spot the chicks. I think as long as you are seeing good, healthy veining then it should be ok.

 

[BantyChooks]

Well, the chick I posted about a few days ago died last night.

It was doing so great!
-Banti

 

[RubyNala97]

Well, the chick I posted about a few days ago died last night.

It was doing so great!
-Banti

was this one sticky at hatch due to low humidity?