Different hatch dates in the same incubator...

[920utlaw]

How do you do it? I have 2 sets of eggs in my incubator that are a week apart. How do I hatch one set of eggs without sacrificing the other set of eggs? Is it possible?

 

[mmfarm]

It's possible, although probably not recommended, unless you are using an incubator that is designed to do it. Your best bet is to run 2 incubators, one for incubating and one for hatching. Have the second incubator up and running by day 18 of the first set, and transfer them to it so you can lock them down keep the humidity up. Meanwhile, it's business as usual for the second set for another week.

That said, I have pulled it off with one incubator in a pinch. I stuck a couple of eggs in the incubator to test fertility, and was 99% sure they'd be clear, but much to my surprise three started developing. They were 10 days behind the other eggs, and I didn't hold out much hope for them, but I couldn't bring myself to toss them and I just let them be. Since there were only 3, it only took a second to turn them during the lockdown, and my hygrometer/thermometer barely changed. This might not be the case if they have a dozen eggs to turn, though. I was worried about the high humidity, and bacteria introduced during the hatch, but 2 of the 3 hatched and were fine. The 3rd quite around day 15. It did not seem to affect my first hatch, which resulted in 16 out of 17. As soon as the hatch was over, I removed the eggs, set the top aside still plugged in, as quickly as possible scrubbed the bottom half, put it back together and got the eggs back in it. Hens get off their nest during incubation to eat & drink for as much as 20-30 minutes, so if you can do this FAST and get the temp/humidity back up you may pull it off.

I am in no way encouraging anyone to try this - I believe my chicks hatched against the odds - but I hope this information helps you get through the hatch that is already in your incubator.

 

[Dane Chick]

Hi,

I have 'stagger hatched' a number of times. I have a son who continually adds eggs a number of days after i have started a batch ( he LOVES putting his favorites in, fresh from the coop, lol - when the bator is going he gets so excited!!). I have never had a problem with the latter placed eggs. As the previous poster mentions, just work fast when you turn them. I raise my humidity up per the requirements of the earliest eggs due, and the rest do fine with a few extra days of humidity. I think they are so far along by that point, that the extra moisture does not affect them. Although it is not recommended, and i am working against the odds, i almost always have a 100% hatch rate. I put cheese cloth down under the eggs before lock down, that way when the first batch hatch it is easy to clean up the mess by QUICKLY removing the cloth, along with the new chick. Good luck, and enjoy the experience and your new little fluffy butts! There is no better way to say Hello to spring

 

[mmfarm]

Wish I'd thought of using cheesecloth - I even make cheese, so I have plenty on hand, lol! I've got a back-up incubator now, but I'm still going to try that. Should definitely make clean-up easier!