Adding eggs to incubator with pre-existing eggs.....

[chloemae]

Hi Everyone,
I have been researching this, but am uncertain as to the best answer...so I thought I would ask here . I have 4 serama eggs in the incubator now. I have 3 more I would like to add tomorrow. My original eggs will go into lockdown on May 10th. Is it a bad idea to add eggs now? The newer eggs are all within the last week and will not be good if I save them til the others hatch....but I worry about adding the new ones and what will happen during lockdown, hatch of the original batch, etc ..seramas are tricky for me as it is . Thank you in advance for any advice....I always try to do the right thing .

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Do you have, or ability to obtain by 5/10, a separate unit to use as a "hatcher"? The problems will be you cant lock down while continuing to turn eggs....and the disparity in conditions (humidity) for the two stages.....
personally, I'd finish this clutch and then set a new one, collecting eggs starting about a week from hatch date and storing optimally. Unless you no longer have the birds who these eggs are from?

 

[chloemae]

Do you have, or ability to obtain by 5/10, a separate unit to use as a "hatcher"? The problems will be you cant lock down while continuing to turn eggs....and the disparity in conditions (humidity) for the two stages.....
personally, I'd finish this clutch and then set a new one, collecting eggs starting about a week from hatch date and storing optimally. Unless you no longer have the birds who these eggs are from?

That makes sense, thank you ! I lost my rooster about 2 weeks ago, so today was most likely the last day of 'fertile' eggs from my serama Momma. I didnt want to lose these last 3 eggs, so I was trying to be creative...

 

[LucianosLops]

Do you have, or ability to obtain by 5/10, a separate unit to use as a "hatcher"? The problems will be you cant lock down while continuing to turn eggs....and the disparity in conditions (humidity) for the two stages.....
personally, I'd finish this clutch and then set a new one, collecting eggs starting about a week from hatch date and storing optimally. Unless you no longer have the birds who these eggs are from?

I’m considering doing this. My eggs are in a Brinsea maxi 2 advance. Can I use a second (hopefully cheaper) incubator to hold eggs while the Brinsea maxi hatches out the older eggs (since it has great visibility).
Thanks!
Btw Im trying to hatch call ducks

 

[chloemae]

I’m considering doing this. My eggs are in a Brinsea maxi 2 advance. Can I use a second (hopefully cheaper) incubator to hold eggs while the Brinsea maxi hatches out the older eggs (since it has great visibility).
Thanks!
Btw Im trying to hatch call ducks

Lol, we must think alike. I am looking at smaller, cheaper incubators right now on Amazon. I love my Brinsea! Keep me posted! I have 2 ducks as well and I love them (they were returns to Tractor Supply several years ago. A Mallard and Pekin, named Wade and Waddles ).

 

[julskinka]

It sounds like you’ve got nothing to lose... if you wait the eggs aren’t likely to do well either.

I do this sometimes because a) I don’t keep a rooster so am buying eggs, usually shipped, which b) tend to have at least a few failures early on. So I figure why not at least try to get my money’s worth?

Last time, I had 5 eggs on a 10-day delay and got two healthy chicks out of it. This time I have a few staggered by 5 and 10 days - I’ll let you know if it works out.

There’s a line of thinking that eggs don’t need to be turned as much during the last week anyhow; and also a line of thinking that as long as your incubator recovers humidity quickly you don’t need to worry exceedingly about lockdown (especially before any external pips). I’m not prescribing either of those view points, but I think you’ve got a case for experimentation!