replacing infertile eggs in incubator (instead of removing them)?

[CanadaEh]

With 1:30 roosters to hens ratio I am afraid there will be below normal fertility at my next hatch.

I am wondering if instead of removing infertile eggs I could replace them with fresh ones and by that increase number of eggs that will develop. I would have to do it as early as possible.

So here is the plan with concerns:

1) Determining infertility. If candle them at day 3 or 4 could I say with say 80% confidence that those that did not start develop veins are likely infertile?

2) Time to lockdown and air cell development. So upon replacing eggs at day 3 or 4 I would continue to run incubator dry until I get acceptable compromise in air cell sizes in both batches. I may will need raise humidity just right before the early batch would start to hatch, but it should be ok.

3) Brooder integration. Because of the batches will be 3-4 days apart, the hatching period will be stretched from normally no more than 2 days to up to 5-6. I mean whenever I have added the chick to the brooder that may be just hatched 1-2 days late, it was challenging in terms of strength of the birds already there compared to new one (being run over, etc). With the birds age that could be as much as 6 days apart, should I temporarily run a hardware cloth across the brooder just under the heat lamp to separate younger chicks from those that has already been there for a few days? I would put feeder and waterer in each section, but I only have one heat lamp. Any danger of somebody get stampeded against the hardware cloth when they try to find spot under the lamp?

Thoughts, suggestions, criticism, or the best if you have tried it?

 

[MadamContrary]

My main concern with staggered hatching is bacterial growth. What type of incubator do you have? When it's time to lockdown can you separate the different clutches, or put something down that can absorb moisture from the eggs and/or poo then remove it for the next hatch? Second concern (but usually not a huge issue) is the extended timeframe with elevated humidity, it is possible for moisture to build up in the air cell and chicks can drown when they pop internally.

 

[CanadaEh]

My main concern with staggered hatching is bacterial growth. What type of incubator do you have?

56-egg Chinese with fan and rotator tray

When it's time to lockdown can you separate the different clutches, or put something down that can absorb moisture from the eggs and/or poo then remove it for the next hatch?

never though of that, but technically with 3-4 days between the batches i could move unhatched eggs into cooler box with hot water bottle, and completely clean up the incubator before putting them back

 

[CanadaEh]

<bump>
at day 3 or 4 will I be able to see veins on most of the eggs that are going to develop? The shells are white or light colored.

is it safe to put hardware cloth separating the brooder in half just under heat lamp?

 

[MadamContrary]

<bump>
at day 3 or 4 will I be able to see veins on most of the eggs that are going to develop? The shells are white or light colored.

is it safe to put hardware cloth separating the brooder in half just under heat lamp?

Possibly for the first question depending on how good the light is and how dark the room is, especially with white eggs there's a good chance you'll see veins by day 4.

Yes hardware cloth is fine, you can also just use a small cardboard box for the first couple of days for the second set. Although the first batch could hop over if it's very low there shouldn't be much of an issue as far as bullying goes at that age. Once your second hatch knows how to eat and drink (24-48 hours) I'd let them all intermingle. I regularly run hatches in separate incubators and combine in the brooder with up to a 2 week delay. Both with chickens and quail and have never had an issue, but if you cannot hang at to observe then it doesn't hurt to be extra cautious either.

 

[saysfaa]

Can you separate the flock for a few days to get a good rooster to hen ratio for a short time? And/or start more eggs than will fit in the incubator so you end up with enough to fill it during the more sensitive time periods?

 

[chickengr]

I didn't see veins on day 4 but luckily didn't throw the eggs and they all hatched. I increase humidity for 2 hatching days and after the chicks hatch I decrease it again. my biggest concern would be chinese incubator. they cook the eggs. for some unknown reason the temperature goes too high at some stage and kills the embryos. the best thing to do might be to set lower temperature than needed. it may take a day or 2 more to hatch. another problem is if the room's night temperature is much lower than day's temperature it will affect the inside incubator temperature. chinese incubators are not meant for winter hatching. good luck!

 

[Mosey2003]

Separate your hens into 5 pens of 6 and rotate the rooster every other day. If he's getting enough daylight hours, after two full rotations all your hens should be well-bred enough to set their eggs together.

 

[TheOddOneOut]

I think it’s a bad idea to do a staggered hatch.
You would never be able to do a proper lockdown or anything, along with many other concerns.

 

[Chookwagn]

The only way to stagger hatch properly is to have 2 or 3 incubators
Use 1 or 2 for day 1-18 and a separate incubator for the final days as your hatcher