Doing double duty with a dickey

[LocoPollo]

I have a dickey and I am going to be hatching next week. I also have some just incubating in there that wont be hatching until the week after. I am just wondering how to deal with the higher humidity necessary for the hatching eggs while the others need the lower humidity.

Any ideas?

I know I can hatch in another bator, which may be the best option, but just wondering if I can do both at once. thanks!

 

[daisychick]

I am glad you asked this question... I will be anxious for the response??? I have always wondered how they are incubating and using the hatching tray at the same time and what do you do with the humidity???

 

[katrinag]

I have to laugh at the title. I hope someone can help you.

 

[LocoPollo]

thanks, yea I was hoping the title would get peoples attention and thus more answers. I hope I dont have to get another bator for hatching!

 

[redhen]

yep..just HAD to open it cause of the title and say...

heehe

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I have a Sportsman which I think is very similar to the Dickey. I had button quail, jumbo quail, and chicken eggs all in at the same time. I was worried about the increased humidity too but everything went fine. I didn't plan very well, so the hatches were too close together. The chicken eggs hatched and I moved them to the brooder and put the quail eggs in the hatcher. Then I realized I had more chicken eggs that had to go in the hatcher, so I moved the quail to the LG. (This was my first time and I was over-zealous with my eggs, can ya tell?!) The humidity didn't affect any of the eggs and everything is hatching just fine, although the quail hatched two days late. I only used one wick pad and the humidity is/was about 59% when nothing is hatching. It increases when they start and seems to be sufficient - had very clean hatches.

 

[LocoPollo]

Quote:
That is good to know. Thank you. I heard spraying the eggs in the hatcher with water works to to help their humidity, but I wasnt sure that would be enough. It is good to know it wasnt htat bid of a deal.

 

[miss_jayne]

i have just left it running at 58% like the directions state.
if i need to pop it up to 60%, i wet a paper towel folded in fourths with hot water and place it on top of the hatching tray cover.

so far, so good.

i have some pipping right now. this will be the fourth staggered hatch and no probs yet.

 

[LocoPollo]

Quote:
I didnt see that bout the 58 percent. Do you run it at that all the time, for the whole 21 days?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I just used the water pan for days 1-18, then added one wick pad when I put the first eggs in the hatcher. Since I keep pulling eggs out and putting new ones in the hatcher, I just keep the wick pad in there and going. I didn't put new eggs in while I had some in the hatcher, so I'm not sure how that would go. The first batch of chicken eggs hatched 29 out of 29, and those were the ones that spiked to 107 the first night I put them in the LG, which is why I bought the Sportsman the next day. So far I'm very pleased.

I do have to ask though - not to hijack your thread - but has anyone else noticed water leaking out the bottom of the bator? I can't see where my water pan is leaking anywhere (and I have SEARCHED) but I do have a little puddle. I'm guessing it's condensation but I'm not sure.