Staggered hatching. Have you done it?

[4-H chicken mom]

I did a search but couldn't find any info on it. Will it effect my BEI eggs if you have some in the bator already and 14 days later I want to put some more in?

I do have a separate bator and hatcher for both the necessary temps. I have never done a staggered hatching before. I would be interested to hear from anyone who has done staggered hatchings before. Any advice? Thanks.

 

[protodon]

I do it often with different species and I don't have any problems. You do have to watch your humidity at the end of certain hatches just from opening and closing the incubator to add or check out other eggs that aren't due. it helps a lot to keep a calendar of what went in and when. I have a little giant circulated air incubator with egg turner for chicken-sized eggs and quail eggs. I hatch in the incubator. I don't have a separate hatcher so when I stagger I just always have to make sure I will have enough space in the incubator for turning eggs and hatching eggs, if that makes sense. Also having separate brooders is usually necessary since there can be a huge difference in birds that only hatched a week apart.

 

[Brody's Broodello]

Quote:
I agree completely. I stagger all the time, except I have a GQF, I use the LG as hatchers though.I keep my bator set all the time for 50 humidity, but it averages 46%.

 

[La Mike]

I have birds hatching every week until I die I think
I personally have had no problems with staggering
I keep chickens/ducks and quail constantly hatchig just be sure on humidity for each

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I have done it and that later hatch rate was only at 10%

I think most drowned in the egg when the humidity needed to be so high for the hatching ones. That was in my hovabator. I know it's possible to do in better quality bators.

 

[momof247371]

Do it all the time....Havnt had any problems thus far..

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Thanks for your encouragement.

I won't be so worried about doing it now.

 

[momof247371]

the only way u can learn is by doing....Try it with some cheap eggs(always start new "projects" with cheap eggs)first, then be adventuresome....In the spring some people send out testing eggs where u just pay shipping, or, if u get eggs at home, thats even better!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

No problems, do it for years. I set every Saturday, and yes hatch in the same cooker other eggs are in to, the higher humidity for a few days never has effected any of my hatches, I run mine way higher than most people anyway. Go for it, just clean out the incubator after each hatch and keep on roling with them

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I always do staggered hatches. I'd have to have a zillion incubators if I didn't. LOL

Laurie