Putting eggs in incubator at different times?

[sophiejw]

Has anyone had any success in putting eggs in incubator at different times, so they are due at different times? The instructions for my incubator say this isn't the preferable way to do it, and that they should all go in at once, but if you do put them in at different times it should be at weekly intervals.

I've always put them in all at once as is advised. However, I have a hatch due out next weekend, and have sourced eggs which I will be able to put in once this hatch is done. However it is the chicken auction the week after where they sell hatching eggs. I'm going there to sell some cockerels, and I just wondered about if there were some eggs I couldn't resist would it be a really bad idea to just pop them into the incubator with the others which would have been in a week by then.

One issue that has crossed my mind is that 3 days before hatch day I switch the egg turner off. I could turn the new eggs by hand, but then that wouldn't work because it would be lock down so I shouldn't open the bator at all. Also I'd have raised the humidity for the ones about to hatch- how would this affect the new eggs? It would only be for 3 or 4 days afterall.

I'm thinking it's probably not a good idea, however I'm also thinking for the sake of one or two pounds for the auction eggs I'd be tempted to try. I basically mixed up my dates sourcing the eggs, I had it in my head the eggs arriving from ebay and auction were about the same time, but of course I'm a week out doh.

So what does everyone think- bad idea and don't try (in which case I'd stick with the eggs I've sourced and buy another lot to come at the same time to make a full incubator) or give it a go to see what happens. Anyone else done anything similar?

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I have been setting eggs every Saturday for the last 9 weeks. I just write the week # on the end of every egg as placed in. Have had good luck with this. I remove eggs from the turner and place the eggs that are about to hatch in my Little Giant on Wednesday. Has worked well for me. Doing this has allowed me to use my incubators most efficiently by keeping it close to full all the time.You can stretch setting days out to every 10 days if you are collecting fresh eggs daily. I candle on the 5th day and throw all that are not developing.

 

[sophiejw]

So theoretically possible then. Although I just have the one incubator (a Chicktec one) which means I can't do what you do. Unless I put the about to hatch eggs under a broody but I prefer hatching them in incubators not under broodies....

 

[CatDaddyAlbert]

I ALWAYS have problems when I open a incubator in which I have eggs in the hatch cycle. In my humble opinion not a wise idea! Good Luck however you do it.

 

[sophiejw]

Think I'll leave it and just go with the one hatch then, thanks for that. Wouldn't want to compromise the chances of the first lot of eggs I put in so rather get eggs from the auction another time. Thought it was worth asking though

 

[renegadechic2]

Hi, I am a new byc owner. I am also facing the dilemma of eggs in an incubator with two different hatch times. The eggs were supposed to arrive within a day of one another but.....they did not. I have eggs that are due to hatch in the next three days (between August 13-14-2014) and eggs that are due to hatch around August 21, 2014. I removed all eggs from the turner and added water to increase the humidity . I will hand turn the eggs that still need to turned. I am praying that all will be fine. I love this site. It is sooooo informative.

 

[dkkirby]

I am having this issue. Gonna make another incubator for hatching.