Can you start eggs in an incubator at different times?

[IggiMom]

I mean, start some one day and a few more several days later? Or is this a bad idea, and they should all be started at once? I have never hatched eggs before. My hens have, but I have not.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

We will do this with a lot of our hatches. We just call them progressive hatching. We did it all winter with never shutting off the incubator. We have a seperate hatcher/brooder and also a cage brooder to transfer the new hatches into. At day 18 the eggs that need to be pulled will go to the hatcher. They stay there without turning until they hatch. After the chick dries completely they get moved to the cage brooder. You just have to make sure you date your eggs so you know when they need to be pulled. Kind of a caotic way of doing it but keeps new chicks available all the time if you are selling them.

 

[IggiMom]

Oh great, thank you. I just have a few eggs to start and I want to start a few more in a week or so. I am all excited.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Shortly speaking if you have a separate hatcher you can do "staggered" hatches, if you have only 1 incubator it is not recommended due to humidity and turning issues when first batch is due and second or third are still in progress.

 

[gervais22]

Yeah I've done this and have a second incubator/hatcher and take out the eggs at day 18/25(for ducks).

But Its a bit risky doing ducks and chicken due to humidity, but I've done it.