Guinea eggs in with chicken eggs

[NuggetNoob]

So I have a batch of chicken eggs in our incubator (I turn by hand 5x a day so no automatic turner). The day after I started them my farmer neighbor handed grandma a carton of guinea eggs... The hen sitting on them had been taken the night before by a fox. She had nobody else broody and knew we had been wanting some guineas/ had an incubator so brought them over and said it would probably be fine to just stick them in alongside the chicken eggs and see what happens. She doesn’t know how long the hen had already sat on them. So I stuck them in there. They are all showing life after candling so I assume they are developing just fine. My only concern is when it comes time to lockdown my chicken eggs (the priority) and I have no idea when to stop turning the guineas. I know they incubate longer but have no idea when they were “started” is it okay to lock them down and increase the humidity early? Or should I just keep turning them until my chicken eggs start pipping then lockdown? After reading into it I’ve found you’re not supposed to incubate both at the same time but that’s hindsight. I don’t want to jeopardize the chicken eggs, it’s a very special batch with eggs from the children’s dearly departed favorite hen and maran eggs that were really hard to track down around here. Any suggestions would be helpful, thank you!

 

[NuggetNoob]

The temp stays at 99.5 and 40-45% humidity btw.

 

[nuthatched]

Can you estimate the progress of the guinea eggs or post some pictures for experts to say?
I think an issue might be during the lockdown of the chicken eggs, you still need to turn the guinea eggs but opening the incubator for turning could mess with the chicken eggs.
Maybe make a tent for the chicken eggs out of plastic wrap so their half of the bator doesn't loose the humidity during turning the keet eggs?

 

[nuthatched]

Can you estimate the progress of the guinea eggs or post some pictures for experts to say?
I think an issue might be during the lockdown of the chicken eggs, you still need to turn the guinea eggs but opening the incubator for turning could mess with the chicken eggs.
Maybe make a tent for the chicken eggs out of plastic wrap so their half of the bator doesn't loose the humidity during turning the keet eggs?

 

[Yardmom]

I would just keep doing what you need to for the chicken eggs. If the hen had already started the guinea eggs they might be close for the same hatch time, or sooner. You could up the humidity just slightly if you see a guinea pip earlier. Also stop turning guineas if you see any internal pipping. My guess is if the guinea eggs were already started they will be far enough along by chicken hatch time that they will not need turned.

 

[NuggetNoob]

Can you estimate the progress of the guinea eggs or post some pictures for experts to say?
I think an issue might be during the lockdown of the chicken eggs, you still need to turn the guinea eggs but opening the incubator for turning could mess with the chicken eggs.
Maybe make a tent for the chicken eggs out of plastic wrap so their half of the bator doesn't loose the humidity during turning the keet eggs?

I’m having a hard time getting a clear picture, the shells are very thick and the baby is taking up a good deal of the egg already. I’ve had them in the incubator for 15 days alongside the chickens so I’m guessing they are between day 18 and 20 from looking at an incubation chart.
I hadn’t thought of making a tent but that could work since I have them divided on separate halves of the incubator. Thank you very much for that idea!

 

[NuggetNoob]

Now I’m also wondering if I should take the chicks out as they hatch so they don’t trample the guinea eggs or leave everything constant to maintain the humidity and temp.... Perhaps build a proper solid divider out of something that still lets air through.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

Any updates? I am invested!

 

[NuggetNoob]

Yes! The chicken eggs hatched out on schedule and the guinea eggs started hatching 4 days after that. 3 hatched and then it was silent for two days until more started coming out. They are still hatching out currently and we are at 11/18 guineas so far! I ended up putting a styrofoam barricade between the sets of eggs to keep the chicks from trampling the guinea eggs. Stopped turning the guineas the day the chicken eggs started pipping.

 

[RevlisRemmah]

That is amazing news. I am so interested in adding guineas but when I look to order you have to get SO MANY. Maybe hatching is the way to go.....