Different set times.. help!

[Jen_naay]

Help! I had only one viable egg and didn’t want it to be alone so I put 3 others in.. problem is they’re a full week apart from when the one went in to the others. What happens when the first one needs to lockdown? Is there a good way to do this? Do I buy a cheap temporary incubator for the others? Thanks for the help!!!

 

[CalgaryFarmer]

Personally, i would not open the incubator once the chick has externally pipped. Otherwise, I would open it up to turn the eggs as usual and ensure the humidity gets back up once it is closed.

 

[Slothinc]

Help! I had only one viable egg and didn’t want it to be alone so I put 3 others in.. problem is they’re a full week apart from when the one went in to the others. What happens when the first one needs to lockdown? Is there a good way to do this? Do I buy a cheap temporary incubator for the others? Thanks for the help!!!

I would probably just put the one egg in lockdown (increase humidity and stop turning that egg) on day 18 for the first egg. I would probably still manually turn the other eggs very quickly twice a day, trying not to let the humidity drop.

When the first baby has externally pipped, don’t open the incubator again to turn the other eggs or anything until it has hatched. After hatching, remove the baby after fluffed up (an hour or two) and then carry on with the other egg incubation.

That is what I would do. Not sure if it’s the best way to do it. I wish you luck with your hatch!

 

[Debbie292d]

I actually put my silkie eggs in lockdown at 5 days instead of the usual 3 days. That last week of rotating eggs isn't as necessary as the first two because by that point, they are larger and more mobile and won't get stuck to the shell.

I would just consider them all in lockdown at the same time. No rotating, keep the incubator closed. Usually, humidity for lockdown is 65-70%. It won't hurt to aim more for 55-60% so it kind of splits the difference.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Help! I had only one viable egg and didn’t want it to be alone so I put 3 others in.. problem is they’re a full week apart from when the one went in to the others. What happens when the first one needs to lockdown? Is there a good way to do this? Do I buy a cheap temporary incubator for the others? Thanks for the help!!!

That is a fairly common problem on here. it can be highly stressful and not always successful so don't do it again. Start them all at the same time. I assume chicken eggs.

Not all eggs develop and hatch. I'd candle that first egg later in incubation to see if you have the problem you think you do.

Let's talk turning first. Turning is important at the start to help keep the yolk or developing embryo from settling out and touching the inside of the porous eggshell. If they touch they can get stuck and can't hatch. After a couple of weeks of incubation a membrane has formed around the chick to shelter it from touching the sides. The chick will eventually get so big it has to touch but the membrane solves that problem. Your eggs are going to be less far along than I'd like to stop turning but the odds of them getting stuck is pretty low. I'd risk it.

Turning helps body parts form in the right spots. They will most of the time anyway but turning early in incubation improves your odds of success. By the time you would stop turning body parts will have formed. I don't see this as an issue for you.

A few years back someone on here found a study on how not turning affects hatch rate. It does make a difference, especially not turning early, but it does not make as much difference as I would have expected.

How will you turn them? By hand or do you have a turner? For those with a turner, some are set up so you can leave turning racks out. I have one of those. I don't do it but it would not be a problem to leave a couple of racks out if I wanted to stop turning some.

Humidity. The purpose of controlling humidity in incubation is to help the eggs lose enough moisture so they can hatch. In lockdown you raise the humidity to stop them from becoming shrink wrapped when they pip. This one is harder than turning. There is a fairly wide window of humidity and moisture loss that can work but there are limits. In your situation I'd try for a humidity of about 65% when you lock down your first egg, if it is still viable. I don't have a great solution for this but I think that gives you your best odds.

One problem with a staggered hatch is that the first chicks to hatch move around and slime the incubator and other eggs as they move around. The chicks also poop. At incubation temperatures and humidity that slime and poop can become infected with bacteria which can stink and infect the later eggs, causing them to not hatch. Is it possible to put a cage around the first egg so it cannot crawl around when it hatches? Some people use those small plastic mesh berry baskets. You can make one out of hardware cloth. That will protect the later eggs. After the first one hatches and you take it out clean the incubator to get rid of that slime and the poop. Gently wrap the eggs in a towel to insulate them and protect them. They will be OK while you clean that incubator since they should not have pipped yet

Staggered hatches can be stressful and create a lot of extra work. I avoid them. Many people do them on purpose but the successful ones have a second incubator they use as a hatcher. That is an option for you.

Good luck!