Hatching 5 days apart

[Shelly Chip]

HI,

I have eggs in my Genesis 1588 incubator. Six are supposed to hatch 5 days before the other 12 hatch. I will still have to open the incubator during lockdown to turn the 2nd set of eggs. Will this be ok? Also, once the first set of chicks hatch, won't they poop in the water down below used for humidity and won't this create an unsterile environment for the next round of chicks? Should I hurry and clean the incubator out in between hatching if I can keep the 2nd set of eggs warm while doing so? This is the first time I have hatched out eggs.

Thanks,

Shelly

 

[SA Farm]

Hi Shelly.
I would stop turning the 12 when the first 6 go into lock-down. Turning is the most important the first two weeks, stopping a few days early won't hurt them. When I've done staggered hatches like that, I didn't clean it in between and the later hatched chicks were just fine, so personally, I don't muck with them if I don't absolutely have to. I just pick out as much of the gunk and shells as I can when I remove the fluffy chicks from the first batch and leave it at that.
Kathryn