If you have a split hatch, one batch of eggs hatched, another week before the rest are due, (only one bator, I don't have one ready as a hatcher.) would you clean the bator when the first bunch finishes? I have 4 shipped eggs in the bator, (they were due to start hatching today) and had 3 EE eggs from my own hens, all three of which hatched. I took out the chicks, the others haven't even pipped. Last time I tried to hatch shipped Dorking eggs, I only got one chick, and she hatched 3 days late. When I candled these last, at day 15 or so, the EE eggs were full of chick, the Dorkings a bit behind, there was still space, and easily visible veining, and good movement. So I'm thinking they may just be a little slow. I have 9 guinea eggs (home produced) in there, too, due a week later. I also have a broody hen on turkey eggs, due one day before the guineas. Should I just stick the guinea eggs under her?
I have luck doing staggered hatch in the incubator but its probably not best idea/results. what I did was got some small boxes like (cereal pasta ect) cut them down to fit in the incubator and just a bottom and small lip of an inch or two high ~ remove top so its open for air flow and viewing. then I placed shelf non-slip liner in the little cardboard box and put hatching eggs in the little box and it helped to contain some of the chick down, egg shells, and hatching mess. I could still keep turning the other eggs that were due later. gosh I hope that made sense...I might have a photo of the little hatching box/trays somewhere if interested. also once I taped some window screen on the box to make a sort of lid to contain the fresh hatched chicks to keep them from pooping on the later hatch date eggs. that did sort of work too.
I just did the same thing the above poster mentioned, only with a cardboard egg carton. I had seen it done at a friend's house. It was really great for me. I have heard that there is some conflicting ideas as to whether or not this is good..........but man did it keep the bator clean! It is my opinion, based on nothing but one time of experience, that you have to make an extra effort to make it humid in there. I think that they cardboard may suck it up the extra moisture or something? In truth, I did have one pip upside down and die. He zipped and all but the couldn't push out. But I think that is an irregular occurance. And if I had been checking more closely, I could have turned it over after it pipped. But I was trying really really hard not to touch the eggs this time. And really, how many birds pip the small end anyway? Good luck. I do all my birds in split hatches. It isn't the way I want it, but it works just fine. If you do have to clean the bator (and I have had to, esp when hatching quail before chicks)... There won't be any problem at all with setting your eggs aside for a few minutes.
That's a good idea, the trays, for a future hatch. But right now, 3 eggs have already hatched, and I've taken the chicks out, and the bottom of the 'bator is already soiled.I think I'll put the guinea eggs under the broody, wait another day or two on the Dorkings, then clean the whole thing. When bator's clean, I'll put the guinea eggs back in. I'd leave them under the hen, but they're a day behind the turkeys, and the area the hen's in won't reliably contain keets, they so little, they can slip through cracks a poult won't fit through. They have a home to go to anyway, so why put the hen through having babies taken away? I'd rather hatch them inside. Thanks anyway, I'll keep your suggestions in mind in the future.