Staggered hatch in the same incubator?

[wsonphan80]

Hi everyone! My first incubator just arrived the other day (brinsea eco 20) and I was wondering if I could set the 8 eggs I have now in them and then set another 8 in a week or so later? Will the increase in humidity during lockdown for the first clutch harm the second clutch? Can I still turn the eggs during lockdown? Any advice would be greatly appreciated as this will be my first time hatching! Thanks!

 

[LarryPQ]

You should be fine starting them a week apart. The extra humidity should not harm the second clutch, assuming you don't live in a rain forest. The second clutch can stand a few days without turning-- and I have had uncountable chicks pop out when the turner is still on. Not ideal, but like they say, "Nature will find a way".

If I had to chose, I would stop turning the first clutch, rather than jiggling around chicks that are trying to hatch. Being born is hard enough.

 

[Spangled]

I was wondering if I could set the 8 eggs I have now in them and then set another 8 in a week or so later?

You and I have the same incubator. I don't have the turner or the humidity device. I have done staggered hatches and they seem to work great. I'm only telling you what I have done and you'll have to adjust it all based on what works for you and what other people suggest because there are all sorts of ways that people manage successful staggered hatches.

I have done what you are hoping to do. (But I don't encourage this kind of reckless behavoir.

Kidding!)

Will the increase in humidity during lockdown for the first clutch harm the second clutch?

I have had a few good hatches this way, so I don't think that anybody was harmed. I was doing the dry hatch instructions; it's not truly a dry hatch, but they call it dry for some reason. The guidelines are online somewhere. I waited until Day 20 to increase the humidity and only at first pip did I take it all the way up to 65 (or so). I folded up a wet paper towel, placed it on a jar lid and placed that on top of the eggs not due to hatch for a week. If the humidity dropped, I squirted more water in the resevoirs and carefully onto the paper towel.

Can I still turn the eggs during lockdown?

I turned the eggs three times a day (tilted in the Brinsea ECO 20) during lockdown. Then at first pip, I put the incubator level. I did have one egg hatch when it was tilted, but it wasn't a big deal at all.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Sometimes after the hatch is complete, I will very carefully remove all the eggs from the incubator that are for the second hatch. Then I clean out the incubator. Then I replace the second hatch eggs. I do that so that the egg shell bits don't grow bacteria for the next week or so. I also take out the paper towel and lid and also go back to rocking the incubator back and forth until time for the next hatch.

this will be my first time hatching!

What!!??

I was too scared to try a staggered hatch until ... well ... until I got my Brinsea. It's a great incubator. Good luck.

I'm going to subscribe to this thread so hopefully I'll get a notice when you post how things went your first time!!

 

[MrsKaz]

My first time with Quail is now. I added 12 then as they laid them, rather than wait (I'm NOT patient) I added more. They are hatching pretty good do far..6 in brooder seemingly doing well, just not poofy and fluffy..eating, drinking, sleeping, peeping, snuggling..hoping the 13 remaining hatch, but there's two or three progressing..today is day 18..let it go until day 19 then put in the 25 I've faithfully collected?