Starting a second batch of eggs halfway through an existing hatch

[Phoenixxx]

Hi, both Google and duck duck go gave me NO answers. Has anyone ever set eggs halfway through an existing hatch (say, about a week or two in)?

I have 18 eggs I want to start today, but may be getting a dozen shipped in the next week or so. I'm thinking the spike in humidity (which I never let go above 65) while the first batch hatches shouldn't affect the week-along eggs. Thoughts?

 

[WVduckchick]

Hi, both Google and duck duck go gave me NO answers. Has anyone ever set eggs halfway through an existing hatch (say, about a week or two in)?

I have 18 eggs I want to start today, but may be getting a dozen shipped in the next week or so. I'm thinking the spike in humidity (which I never let go above 65) while the first batch hatches shouldn't affect the week-along eggs. Thoughts?

Staggered hatches aren't ideal, but can be managed. I believe they are easier in larger incubators, so that you can separate off the eggs that aren't due to hatch. A few days of raised humidity won't hurt them much, but turning is still important, especially depending on what days the newer eggs are on. Being one week behind, the later set should be developed enough by then that turning shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Hi, both Google and duck duck go gave me NO answers. Has anyone ever set eggs halfway through an existing hatch (say, about a week or two in)?

I have 18 eggs I want to start today, but may be getting a dozen shipped in the next week or so. I'm thinking the spike in humidity (which I never let go above 65) while the first batch hatches shouldn't affect the week-along eggs. Thoughts?

I set a second batch halfway through this year, but I had a back up incu that I put the younger eggs in for lockdown. Humidity here is really hard to deal with.

wanna borrow my hovabator with the turner? I'm going to baywater beach monday.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Carefully, slowly, gently put this thought down and back away. When you are a safe distance run quickly from any thought of this.

Seriously, what you are talking about is a staggered hatch. You can read about them a lot on here. Some people do this regularly and have developed techniques to handle it. Many of those involve a second incubator used purely as a hatcher. There are a lot more issues involved than a spike in humidity, which I agree is not a big deal.

How do you plan to handle turning the eggs? Will you be opening the incubator during lockdown for the first eggs to turn the second batch? If you use an automatic turner and can remove certain rows, will the first ducklings that hatch get legs, wings, or necks caught in the nooks and crannies of that turner? You might be able to handle this by making an open top box out of hardware cloth and putting that over the first eggs to hatch to contain the first ducklings.

Then the big one to me. When they hatch the ducklings will crawl over the later eggs, sliming them. That can let bacteria inside the later eggs, killing them. Ok, the inverted mesh box will help with that. But the ducklings will also poop. That slime and poop will start decomposing inside the humid warm incubator petty quickly, still exposing the unhatched eggs to bacteria. Within a few days, likely three at the most, it will start stinking. I mean really stinking. That is a danger to the unhatched eggs and really unpleasant to be around. The way to mitigate this is, after the first hatch is over, take the incubator apart and thoroughly clean and disinfect it, then put it back together for the later eggs. That's where a second incubator used as a hatcher is so nice. Just incubating doesn't mess it up. You have time in between hatches to clean up the hatcher.

If you feel you must, go for it. Just be ready to deal with the potential issues. I'd want at least a full week between hatching dates. If you can figure out how to get Rose's incubator back, that is a great offer.

 

[Cyprus]

Carefully, slowly, gently put this thought down and back away. When you are a safe distance run quickly from any thought of this.

Seriously, what you are talking about is a staggered hatch. You can read about them a lot on here. Some people do this regularly and have developed techniques to handle it. Many of those involve a second incubator used purely as a hatcher. There are a lot more issues involved than a spike in humidity, which I agree is not a big deal.

How do you plan to handle turning the eggs? Will you be opening the incubator during lockdown for the first eggs to turn the second batch? If you use an automatic turner and can remove certain rows, will the first ducklings that hatch get legs, wings, or necks caught in the nooks and crannies of that turner? You might be able to handle this by making an open top box out of hardware cloth and putting that over the first eggs to hatch to contain the first ducklings.

Then the big one to me. When they hatch the ducklings will crawl over the later eggs, sliming them. That can let bacteria inside the later eggs, killing them. Ok, the inverted mesh box will help with that. But the ducklings will also poop. That slime and poop will start decomposing inside the humid warm incubator petty quickly, still exposing the unhatched eggs to bacteria. Within a few days, likely three at the most, it will start stinking. I mean really stinking. That is a danger to the unhatched eggs and really unpleasant to be around. The way to mitigate this is, after the first hatch is over, take the incubator apart and thoroughly clean and disinfect it, then put it back together for the later eggs. That's where a second incubator used as a hatcher is so nice. Just incubating doesn't mess it up. You have time in between hatches to clean up the hatcher.

If you feel you must, go for it. Just be ready to deal with the potential issues. I'd want at least a full week between hatching dates. If you can figure out how to get Rose's incubator back, that is a great offer.

This is a little harsh.

I have done a staggered hatch in a last minute Styrofoam incubator. It was my first ever hatch with no clue of what I was doing AND incubating three different species at once. All but 1 egg hatched and I had very minimal issues.

It is not that hard.

 

[WVduckchick]

Definitely another incubator, even if for just hatching, is a better option. Waiting for the first set to hatch before starting any more eggs would be even better! But sometimes time is critical. I guess this is why I have a cabinet and 4 table top incubators now.

But another thing I liked to do when I used one incubator is use rubber shelf liner on the floor of the incubator. Have a new piece ready, when you remove the first set of ducklings, replace the liner under the later set of eggs, and try to clean up anything left over from the first set.