Adding Eggs to an Incubation that's already started.

[Chick-a-dow-dee]

Hi Friends! I recently had a roo that got seriously hurt and had to be put down. To me he was a beloved Roo and came when I called his name. I decided that I would try to hatch out some of his girls' eggs. I had only one laid on the 22nd, and 5 laid from the 23rd, and 6 from the 24th. I read that when storing eggs they should be kept at about 55 degrees if you plan on incubating them, but not to put them in the fridge, but I don't have a way to do that, so I decided that I would start the incubation with the ones from the 22nd and 23rd at the same time on the 24h. Later that day I got six more eggs and I went ahead and put them in, also. This morning one of my hens who does not typically lay much lately, laid a beautiful egg along with two other hens and I wanted to go ahead an put those in as well. So I have put in these eggs at various times over a two day period; have I committed a chicken hatching sin? Also, I'm having a hard time getting my humidity over 50% any suggestions? I have the still air incubator, bought it at Tractor Supply, and I also got the egg turner.

Thanks for any advice!!

 

[enola]

It is not a common practice to do that, but I have and everything worked out just fine.

 

[kyzerc]

I also have done the staggered hatchs since September,let humidity run about 50%.I had some hatch Monday,and had some in another incubator that cut off from the 5th.I thought those were dead because they were cold but ones hatching now.These were put in the ist and hatched in 21 days One silky is hiding in back

 

[gimmie birdies]

I had a staggered hatch recently and had 16/17 hatch even with 2 power outages

my latest batch, I had 7 after pulling the clears, but then 4 quitters that were fridge eggs ( I had picked them for colors not freshness.)

I have my 3 eggs still incubating due in 5 days, and now my rooster just became fertile, so I put in his ladies eggs as lain, but I am choosing for feather color and egg color, so this batch will be staggered. I must stop, I don't want it to be too staggered but I am waiting for a BMC.

 

[sniper338]

Nothing wrong with it... just staggered hatching... and you have to watch so they dont get caught in the egg turner... had em haych in the egg turner too no issues tho... its not going to hurt anything... i did it all the time with quail kicking out birds to butcher...

When storing eggs.... room temp is fine... i store my eggs in my incubator with the egg turner on only... then when it gets full turn on the incubator..

 

[gimmie birdies]

Homemade incubator, hand turn for me.

 

[Chick-a-dow-dee]

Thank you all so much for the affirmation. I'm hoping that I get a few of his off spring, if all (now 18 hatch - I couldn't resist adding a few more) I will have to enlarged my coop!

 

[gimmie birdies]

If I add to incubator, I try and keep the cooler add ins away from the all ready inthere eggs, till they warm up.