Staggered Hatch Help

[Shellz]

Newb here, hope someone can help me out here! Have 5 eggs due for lockdown tomorrow, but also have 3 eggs for lockdown 4 days later. Yikes! I know I turn off egg turning tray & remove, but what then? What should humidity be set to? Don't want to drown the last 3!

 

[Pancholoco]

You can take some racks from egg turner and leave just one for the last 3 eggs. Humidity I don't know maybe someone with experience, for racks that's my suggestion. Good luck

 

[SilkieSensation]

I run staggered hatches all the time. Here is how I do it:

Keep humidity as low as possible for as long as possible. Keep turning any eggs NOT in lockdown until you hear peeping or see an external pip. Raise humidity & do not open bator until hatch for 1st batch completes. Quickest way to raise humidity is spray inside of top of bator with HOT water from a spray bottle. It will immediately raise humidity 10-20%. DO NOT add water to the wells in the bottom of the bator. Put a deep bowl of water in the center of the bator right with the eggs. Needs to be deep enough the chicks can't jump in. You can also use wet sponges or maxi pads sitting next to the eggs. With your hatch being so close together you may not have to remove water once hatch ends for the 1st batch since they will be ready for lockdown by then anyway but typically you remove the water as soon as the last chick hatches & remove all babies as soon as they can stand even if not completely dry. They will finish drying under the heat lamp. Just make sure there are no drafts. Repeat process for next batch.

 

[Shellz]

Thanks a bunch! Keeping humidity between 50-55% right now with damp sponge. Great use for those maxi pads after hysterectomy! LOL! All eggs on their sides with last batch marked for turning. Does this sound all right?

 

[SilkieSensation]

Humidity for a still air bator can be lower for lockdown, 40-50%. Bators with fans need to be higher, 50-60%.

 

[Shellz]

Ok SilkieSensation! Thanks for the help, much appreciated!
It's a cheap LG still air. Getting a Genesis in spring, yay!

 

[SilkieSensation]

Yep, you can get away with lower humidity then. I would aim for 40-50% & try not to let it go above 60%. Chicks tend to take a long time to dry above 60% & I've had babies drown at 70%. If you are doing ducks, add 10% to each of those numbers. For quail keep at lower end of chicken ranges. Turkeys hatch same as chicks & geese run about the same as ducks.

 

[Shellz]

Ok SilkieSensation! Thanks for the help, much appreciated!
It's a cheap LG still air. Getting a Genesis in spring, yay!