staggered incubating...

[galluskid]

Hi,

I have built my own incubator and has 3 trays to hold eggs and a turner for each... Hold good temperature and humidity...

My predicament is... I collect eggs in a weekly basis before I set them in the incubator to keep them as fresh as possible... I don't have a separate hatcher and want to use just one incubator...

So let's say on the 1st week I set 40 eggs, 2nd week another 40 and 3rd week another 40...

If I raise the humidity on the 18th day till the 1st batch of eggs hatch (in lock down) and then lower it again after hatching, will it affect the 2nd and 3rd batches?

Thanks...

 

[Cindiloohoo]

It hasn't bothered mine. I have been doing that all along, and have as little as 7 hatching at a time and 3 days till the next hatch. I just adjust. If I have had the humidity up for the first hatch and another is due to raise humidity as that one hatches I let it drop a little because they have had added humidity already. I do monitor closer for dry membranes when I do this. I haven't had issues with it harming the chicks. I have a small bator that holds 40 or so eggs. I leave the turner in and let them hatch in it. As soon as they pop out, I move them to a brooder I have close by to dry. They are fine. Hope this helps

Oh, and not everybody would recommend this, but as stated I have not had issue with doing this. It hasn't decreased my hatch rate yet. If it does, I'll stop

ETA:

 

[galluskid]

Thanks Cindiloohoo, I found this great site only by accident (looking for a solution to this problem)... I am glad I found this forum...

I was thinking of making the interval every week, so I'd still have a few days to lower the humidity again for the next batch before I need to put it up again for lock down...

Plus I can use the floor area (24"x24") where the water tray is as a hatcher area if need be, I was thinking of just putting a hardware cloth over the tray so the chicks won't go "swimming"...

Anymore info or comments would be appreciated...

 

[SunshineSilkies]

Quote:
Just wanted to say welcome from sunny Florida!!!

 

[MagsC]

I found its okay to stagger the hatches as long as you take the eggs out of the incubator when its time for lockdown and put them in a hatcher (whether it be just a plain old Little Giant incubator or something more). When I tried staggered hatches and left them in the same incubator, the upped humidity messed with the eggs that werent due yet.

 

[galluskid]

sunshinesilkies, thanks for the welcome...

MagsC, that's what I was worried about... That's why I was looking for some guys/gals that have already done what I was trying to do and maybe give me a few pointers... thanks...