Adding 1 more egg, everyday..Is this Ok?

[1234duck]

I set 14 duck eggs and 7 chicken eggs on Thursday, 1-20th (in the incubator). I have been finding 1 more duck egg "everyday", so each day I have added "another" egg to incubator(I have 1 more from today also, which needs to be added). *Should I be doing this, adding 1 more egg everyday?? Total duck eggs..18 Thanks, Julie

 

[AliciaM]

Im not an expert but ive been doing this. I have 12 call eggs in the incubator right now. When its time to stop turning them, I move them to another incubator that I set up ahead of time. Right now I have 2 that are hatching right now and 2 more should start tomorrow. That way they dont disturb the others that arent ready.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

To be honest, I have never hatched chicken eggs with my duck eggs. I mist my duck eggs but not chicken eggs. Duck eggs should have a higher humidity than chicken eggs. That being said I have added duck eggs up to two week after the first setting but I do have a seperate bator that I use as a hatcher. So when the first eggs are ready to go into lock down, they are transfered into the hatcher that is already set for a higher humidity. Make sure you are marking the date on the eggs so you will not get confused which eggs went in first. Also, I would collect the eggs and store them a few days and then put them in as a batch. Good luck.

 

[MrsPinkKitty]

I beleave the term people use is called "stage" hatching..My first hatch i "stage" hatched and let me tell you it was a nightmare. First, That one hatch turned into a 3 month ordeal ending with 42 eggs all dead in shell. I think bacteria got in there or somthing happend.Can't really be sure becasue somthing was always hatching each day and you never really knew when some eggs were going to hatch so you could overlook a "weeping" egg that turns into a explodeing egg and yes this happend to me on my first hatch ever.It was awful. I started out setting 12 eggs and at the end of it all i only got 36 chicks.I will neaver add to the incubator once i close that lid.Its so hard not to add but my first hatch always reminds me dont be greedy. I hear some people do very well with "stage" hatching they keep good records and everything turns out great. After that first hatch i didnt want to hatch anymore.It made me stressed after the first month.I love hatching out the little babys but it is supposed to be fun not Work and thats what "stage" hatching felt like. Good luck And Beware of the "stage" hatch Voice "oh come on there is plenty of room in there for this egg" "Maby i could just stack them on top of the other eggs" "Dont waste the auto turnner look there is a open slot" heheheh

 

[gofasterstripe]

Quote:
How many female ducks do you have?
If I was you, I would NOT be adding 1 more egg every day.

 

[FenDruadin]

It depends on whether you have a separate incubator for hatching and how much hassle you want to put up with. Eggs that are close to hatching need vastly different conditions from eggs that are in earlier stages of incubation, and you simply can't provide that if you've got eggs all in the same incubator developing at different stages. So if you've only got the one incubator then I'd say you're asking for a lot of trouble and probably a lot of unhatched ducklings that die at late stages in development. What's going to happen is that the earlier eggs are going to get ready to hatch and they're going to need a higher humidity to keep the membranes from drying out and trapping them in the shell. They will also need to stop being turned & not have access to a turner where they can get their legs & wings trapped. You can provide those conditions in a separate incubator, but if you only have one, you'll have to provide the same conditions to your eggs that are still developing--and that need to be turned and need a lower humidity in order to develop the right size air cell for hatching. Also, the ducklings that hatch are going to make a BIG mess in the incubator--hatching gunk & poop all over the eggs, and they're going to shove them all over the place & tap at them. No big deal if the eggs are near hatching, but those earlier in incubation can get all kinds of infections and disease from being pooped & slimed on.

Hopefully, you've got another incubator, and you'll be fine--just follow the instructions already provided above. Otherwise... stop adding eggs, and keep posting--somebody will help you navigate the difficulties and get the best result possible. This is a great bunch, and we've all made mistakes, so don't worry--just do the best you can.

 

[1234duck]

Thank you for taking the time to explain/help me, iamcuriositycat & MrsPinkKitty.

I'm gonna see if we can throw a quick incubator together real fast, then I can maybe move the chicken eggs in to that for the remainder of the time. ~If its not too late~ I really feel bad for taking them eggs out of the nest. >>> Today I finally got a hygrometer for humidity.. temp has been mostly 99 & 98. Humidity has been 49-50 steady most of the day. *Does that sound right on the humidity? Also, Thank you to everybody who responded to my post.. ~Julie~