Eggs are at different development stages

[Tannerpauldean]

This year I bought an automatic egg turner for my still-air Little Giant incubator. I thought it would be a great investment, but now I think I have a problem.

I am on day 25 today and am about to put the incubator on lockdown. However, it seems that many of my eggs are a little behind. The eggs closest to the motor of the turner are right on track. In fact, one egg looked like it had internally pipped this AM, so maybe a little ahead of schedule. The eggs farthest from the motor are at about day 20-22, developmentally speaking. Is it too early for me to stop turning them? Should I give them a little more time to develop?

On a related note, I do not have a separate hatcher. I only have the one incubator that I use for both incubating and hatching. While I intend on purchasing a second incubator to use for these purposes, I am not able to do that at this time. Is there an alternative that I can implement for the time being? Perhaps something DIY? Not sure if it is in the best interest to let the slower ones keep incubating and pull the ones that are about to hatch out.

 

[Yardmom]

The still air allows different temps at different spots. When I used a still air I rotated egg location . I realize that is information for next time. I think now you should take the eggs out of the Turner and go into lock down. Any that hatch will roll the other eggs. Hope you get several healthy chicks.

 

[SurferchickinSB]

This year I bought an automatic egg turner for my still-air Little Giant incubator. I thought it would be a great investment, but now I think I have a problem.

I am on day 25 today and am about to put the incubator on lockdown. However, it seems that many of my eggs are a little behind. The eggs closest to the motor of the turner are right on track. In fact, one egg looked like it had internally pipped this AM, so maybe a little ahead of schedule. The eggs farthest from the motor are at about day 20-22, developmentally speaking. Is it too early for me to stop turning them? Should I give them a little more time to develop?

On a related note, I do not have a separate hatcher. I only have the one incubator that I use for both incubating and hatching. While I intend on purchasing a second incubator to use for these purposes, I am not able to do that at this time. Is there an alternative that I can implement for the time being? Perhaps something DIY? Not sure if it is in the best interest to let the slower ones keep incubating and pull the ones that are about to hatch out.

I recently saw on here somebody that used a crockpot maybe set on warm and full of towels. I think their incubator broke and all the chicks hatch fine. It was just recently may be a week or two.

 

[chickens really]

Just lockdown it won't hurt the others..

 

[Tannerpauldean]

The still air allows different temps at different spots. When I used a still air I rotated egg location . I realize that is information for next time. I think now you should take the eggs out of the Turner and go into lock down. Any that hatch will roll the other eggs. Hope you get several healthy chicks.

Definitely will be doing that moving forward. Great idea!

I recently saw on here somebody that used a crockpot maybe set on warm and full of towels. I think their incubator broke and all the chicks hatch fine. It was just recently may be a week or two.

Very interesting. I only have the medium-sized crock pot, so not sure there is enough room for the eggs that will be hatching.

Just lockdown it won't hurt the others..

Thanks! This makes me feel a bit better. I'll lock them all down as soon as I get home from work.

 

[PaulX]

Just lockdown it won't hurt the others..

Yes, day 22-23 is late enough to lockdown without negative consequence.

 

[Tannerpauldean]

Just a quick update - when I got home Wednesday night I already had one external pip (day 25). I locked everything down and am playing the waiting game now. This morning I had 4 ext. pips, all of which are on the side that was closest to the motor.

On a related note, I am ordering a fan kit for my incubator this weekend. Hopefully that will help keep this situation from happening in the future as well. Anyone converted a still air to a circulated using one of these kits before?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick

@Texas Kiki

 

[Miss Lydia]

Congrats on the pips looking forward to seeing those ducklings!

 

[WVduckchick]

Congrats on pips. Did you mark the eggs you thought may be behind?

Adding the fan is super easy. Just attach it with screws and plug it in. (I’m pretty sure that one already has the receiving plug attached)