Incubating & Hatching

[Abell]

This is a dumb dumb dumb question. I placed eggs in my incubator about 6 days apart...gulp. Can I hatch while still incubating the other eggs in the same incubator?

 

[smchickfarm]

well no question is dumb.

Staggered hatches can be hard. However, once your first eggs hatch and dry off. You can remove the chicks quickly. Do it fast, so the humidity and temp don't drop. If you have to, spritz some water in there with a spray bottle, while removing the chicks. This will help keep the humidity up.

 

[Abell]

Do you think the higher humidity in the last few days of incubating for the first set will hurt the second set of peeps?

 

[smchickfarm]

I suppose it can, you will just have to watch and don't let it get too high. I have done staggered hatches, but the eggs were only set about 2-3 days apart.

If your first batch hatches out. Get them out as soon as they are dried off and then get the humidity back down. The humidity will also go up when babies start hatching. You will just have to monitor it.

I am by no means an expert. Hope that info helps. Maybe someone else with more experience will jump in.

I wish you the best, keep me posted!!!!!!