Adding eggs to incubator

[emalin]

I have never incubated eggs before and am wondering if it is possible to add eggs to the incubator when other eggs have been in there for a week or two. We ordered the Brinsea 24-egg manual unit. If it is possible, is it fine to raise all of the chicks together even though they were hatched weeks apart? I want to order eggs from a few different sellers but raise the chickens together. Thanks!

 

[Bradfordj]

In my personal experiences I would not add eggs to an existing hatch, for the reason that depending on your climate or hatching methods you will probably try to increase humidity during last three days of the hatch which creates the possibility of the environment being too humid for the eggs that aren't near the end of their 21 days. Raising chick's together shouldn't be an issue if your brooder box is big enough. Not only room for the extra chicks but also so the older birds can escape the warmer areas if need be. I find the younger the flock starts together the better they are in the future. For example I had ducks and hens together from day olds, however I would question introducing a white pekin to an existing adult flock of hens. I'm sure people have had different experiences however those are mine. Hope that helps!

 

[gruffy]

It's possible just not as great an outcome. I do that since we only have 1 hen laying but it comes at a price. Eggs have to go through lockdown on their 18th day (not being moved) and the humidity goes way up to help the little biddies out of the shell without sticking in the egg and becoming exhausted. But this means all of your still developing eggs have to go through the humidity and not being turned which can be fatal for developing eggs or the ambush of small wet chicks rolling them all around . I would say if you're going to do that grab another incubator and set it as the hatcher and move your eggs in there on the 18th day to hatch

 

[emalin]

Thank you. This is great advice!

 

[gimmie birdies]

If I did add eggs, I would make sure they were already warmed up.

 

[gimmie birdies]

the chicks below hatched on day 20, then I have more due on March 23, and March 25th then more yet due on the 1st. Trouble here was having to fish out the hatchers, and shells and put down fresh paper for the eggs that had to stay for more days.

My only worry was a heat flux. it had been cold so I had a blanket on some days then it warmed up and I had to take off the blanket. seems like they are doing okay.

up date, these guys hatched early in the morning, from a diff farm, dad was blue Isbar or blue andelusian. mom was Americauna, the yellow is a mystry chick from a brown egg.

The whole group together.