Setting eggs at different times with only 1 incubator

[nat1981]

My incubator is ticking away nicely with my own home grown eggs, day 8 and nice veining, movement from the bubbas! Prince Eric became dinner for us the other night (he was a obnoxious crower and my only roo) but I have a urge to pop some more of his girls eggs in before I loose all potential fertile eggs! Is it possible to leave the eggs that would b 8-9 days behind in with these ones as they hatch? Or would the humidity b too much for 'new' eggs at lockdown?
I don't have a 2nd incubator.
I would assume that when the older ones are hatching that they would turn them during lockdown!

 

[Sustained]

I've always been told that humidity is most important during lockdown so based on this I would think your eggs should be okay. It's the turning that I would worry about. Maybe try putting them in egg cartons during lockdown of the first eggs and open it only long enough to quickly turn the carton? That's what I would do personally. It shouldn't affect much to open it for a few seconds to move an egg carton but I'm sure others with more experience will come weigh in. Good luck on your hatch and I hope you find something that works!

 

[nat1981]

I think I have thought of a solution.

I can tie some fishing line in the slot where the turning rod is on both sides. Leave some hanging out the side of my incy and give it a tug a few times a day. I could leave the 'not ready ones' in the slot and take the slot dividers off the 'ready ones' and remove the tray from the auto turner pointy thing at lockdown! I am concerned of what the high humidity could do to the 'new ones' while they are day 8 to day 14ish though.
But I'm gonna try!

 

[Sustained]

Let me know how it works! That's a really interesting idea.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I think I have thought of a solution.

I can tie some fishing line in the slot where the turning rod is on both sides. Leave some hanging out the side of my incy and give it a tug a few times a day. I could leave the 'not ready ones' in the slot and take the slot dividers off the 'ready ones' and remove the tray from the auto turner pointy thing at lockdown! I am concerned of what the high humidity could do to the 'new ones' while they are day 8 to day 14ish though.
But I'm gonna try!

I would remove any turning mechanism you have in the incubator hatched chicks could become trapped in it. As too your humidity with putting it up for lockdown of your older eggs the newer eggs wil not lose enough moisture during this period so to try and compensate for this I would lower the humidity right down after the older eggs have hatched to balance it out.
Good luck with your hatch and hope everything works out for you

 

[flemingfeather]

I did this when I first started and only had 1 incubator, It worked out for me. Hope it works for you also

 

[DanEP]

If you going to do this I would keep the humidity as low as you can for lock down because as soon as the start hatching the humidity is going to go up which can slow down the air cell growth of the younger ones. Also have you got 2 brooders set up cuz the 9 day old chicks probably won't play nice with the 1 day olds.

 

[nat1981]

I can set a second brooder. I'm doing a dry incubation, I aim for 70% max humidity at lock down. Going to candle them on the weekend, so I'll see how many 'potentials' I have. If there are only a few at lockdown when I candle that look promising, I may still set the newer ones under one of my broodies!

 

[dheltzel]

Don't sweat the humidity issue with the newer eggs (see what I did there?). People worry way too much about humidity, especially if you are "dry incubating", they can easily take a few days of high humidity. Don't try to keep humidity low during the hatch. Once they start to pip, it must be very high or you will lose chicks due to shrink wrapping, and that is the most heartbreaking thing. I aim for 80+ and often it hits 99 during the hatch. Once the hatch is complete, remove the extra water with the chicks and resume dry incubation. If you fill the bottom of the incubator with water as many require, simply move the eggs to a carton and dump/clean the incubator, then put it all back -- hens get off the nest, so this cool down is not a problem, the bigger risk is rushing and accidentally bumping the thermostat.

Also, I believe cleaning the incubator of all the debris from the first hatch is crucial, otherwise it will breed bacteria that will be waiting to infect your next batch of chicks as they hatch, when they are most vulnerable (newly hatched, warm and wet chicks are great for the bacteria to move onto). I would say letting the eggs cool for an hour while you clean the incubator well is better than a rushed 5 minutes, IMO.

Finally, watch the local ads for used incubators and pick up a second one to use as a hatcher (no turner needed, even a fan is optional). Then sell a few chicks to make your money back.

 

[nat1981]

Thanks for your input dheltzl!
I am having thoughts to pop the newer eggs under a broody, never done it the way nature intends!
But if I wimp out of that, I will clean the incubator thoroughly before putting them back in after the hatch.
My 2nd brooder is unexceptable for these eggs so will have to wait to see if I get the courage to give them to my Wyandotte!
I'll b candling them in a few days so I'll see how many are 'growing' and start deciding how to finish them off!