Eggs with differant hatch dates, same incubator?!?!?!?

[KWAK]

I have 16 eggs due on the 12th, and 20 due the 23-25th. How do I turn the eggs that aren't due to hatch for a few more weeks while the first batche are in lock down? Will it hurt them if I dont turn them while the 1st batch are hatching? What do you do?
Any help would be great!
-ps. this isnt my first time hatching just my first staggered hatch, any help would be great!

 

[KWAK]

Any one?

 

[groundpecker]

You should buy another bator for lockdown. It is not wise to open your incubator the last 3 days of hatch. If you do not want to buy another bator, i would not turn the eggs until the hatch is finished.

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

I have always been told not to mix eggs with different hatch days. While one batch is in lockdown, the humidity should be raised some but this could effect the other eggs (with the other hatch date). Maybe set up a different bator?

 

[KWAK]

Will it hurt not to turn them? I think on day 22 I will candle any non-hatchers and then toss them if they are dead. Would 4-5 days hurt them?

 

[KWAK]

sunny & the 5 egg layers :

I have always been told not to mix eggs with different hatch days. While one batch is in lockdown, the humidity should be raised some but this could effect the other eggs (with the other hatch date). Maybe set up a different bator?

The only reason I did is because 2 of my hens went broody for a few days and then gave up. I candled them and all of them were forming so I threw them in the 'bator​

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

Unfortunately, you need another incubator to act as a hatcher.

I have one Incubator that has an automatic turner that I keep eggs in all teh time. And then on day 18, I move the eggs to the second incubator for hatching.

If you must keep them in the same bator, can you split the incubator somehow? You don't want the chicks to be climbing all over your second batch of eggs.

Your other issue will be humidity. As you want the Humidity much higher for hatching.

I think you will have to decide which set is most important and do whats right for that hatch and hope for the best for the other.

 

[tuesdays chicks]

the chicks that hatch will move the eggs about quite a bit your problem lies with the 2nd lock down, and removing chicks, maybe they will all end up hatching the same time anyway.

 

[202roosterlane]

Seriously I would get another bator. I would not move them till the first set is ready for lockdown. Remember if you are candleing right before lock down you could shrink wrap them if they stay out of the bator too long. Get cold, dry out. You will have to move quickly but carefully.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I understand how you got here. Life can throw you a few curves occasionally, can't it.

I don't know the right answer. I'm not sure there is one. Your main issues are opening the incubator during lockdown because of the humidity and turning the others at the same time. I would not get overly worried about the high humidity on the late eggs during lockdown. It's obviously not an ideal situation, but I think it is minor compared to the turning and the need for higher humidity during lockdown.

I don't know your set-up, which incubator or whether you have an automatic turner. If you have an auto turner, can you take some trays out? I have that yellow Hovabator turner and it is not hard to take some of the trays out of it. If you can, maybe build a fence from hardware cloth to put down the middle to separate the new eggs from the old, or maybe build a box out of the hardware cloth and put it over the early eggs so they can't get to the turning eggs. One worry on that is that a chick may get a leg caught in the turner. There's probably a small chance of that. A bigger worry would be that the first hatchers will probably mess up the incubator pretty badly. You don't want the mess to start growing bacteria that could infect the later eggs.

So if you have an auto turner and you can take some trays out, your problem is solved.

I have not done it, but some people have built turners they can activate by reaching a rod or wire through a vent hole. If someone has an idea how to do this and can tell you or you are mechanically inclined and can design and build one, see the above idea.

If you do not have an auto turner but are turning them by hand, I'd probably keep turning them until I saw a pip, then just not turn them until the hatch was over. Like I said, I don't know if there is a right answer, but I think you are more likely to do better this way. Besides, the first eggs were the ones you wanted. Anything extra you get will just be a bonus.