Incubating two kinds of chicks

[nutmeg1980]

Hi! I'm in the midst of hatching my first batch of eggs in a Brinsea 20 Eco incubator. I've got 12 Buckeye eggs and 6 Black Austrolorp, both from different mail order sources. They've been in the incubator for almost a week, so today I candled them to see how they are doing.

Both kinds looked good, based on pics I've seen online of what they should look like, except the Austrolorps appear to be ahead of the Buckeye's in their development. They have a much better defined vein system inside the eggs. My Buckeye source mentioned that he had noticed that Buckeye's develop slower than other chicks....

So, my question is, should I be worried about hatching time for these chicks? I'm afraid that the Austrolorps will hatch before the Buckeyes, and I've read that you shouldn't open the incubator around hatching time. What if I need to take the Austrolorps out right as the Buckeye's are beginning to pip?

Has anyone run into a situation like this? Should I purchase another incubator to hatch the Austrolorps in separately, or should I quit worrying about it?

THANKS!!!!

 

[americana-chick]

Hmm... you could get a differnt bator. but i think they will be fine if you just quickly take them out. but chicks can stay in the bator for up to 24 hours... so you may not need too.
im not an expert so hopefully somone who knows about this will come along and correct me if i am wrong..?

 

[americana-chick]

Oh and

 

[Akane]

If you set them the same day then I would not worry about it. Occasionally eggs in different parts of the incubator will develop at a different rate but that's not as common in incubators with fans. It could be something as simple as the shells of the austrolorps being thinner or easier to candle so you see more of the chick and veins making it look like they are more developped. Even if there is something making them develop a bit differently so long as you set them at the same time they will hatch within a day of each other. Which will work out fine. Chicks can stay in the bator for a couple days and do not need to eat or drink during that time, that's why it's possible to ship newly hatched chicks without too many losses, so if some hatch a day later you still wouldn't have to open the bator. Many do slip a few chicks out if the humidity is running high and won't drop too much.

Now if you didn't set them the same day you will need 2 bators.

 

[Goose and Fig]

I don't know anything about Buckeyes- but don't you stop turning and boost the humidity on day 18 for them too? Maybe they'll catch up at the end- but I think you'll be fine.

 

[nutmeg1980]

Thanks for the help! I did set them in the incubator on the same day, so hopefully it'll all work out ok. One of my egg suppliers stressed that the most important thing to do during incubation is to not stress out too much, so that's what I'll do!

Megan

 

[Akane]

All chickens hatch after 21 days on average. A few bantams and seramas in particular are more likely to go early but I'm beginning to suspect they are just more sensitive to the temp being off a little. Some of my serama hatches have pipped early and some have not while none of my other bantams have. If your temps are accurate you will nearly always get a hatch right on time at 21 days irregardless of what breed you are incubating.