Circumstances outside my control necessitated doing a three-step staggered hatch in my Hovabator Still Air (that's a whole other story!). ChooksChick helped me with excellent advice and encouragement all the way through, and the results were quite successful!
I started with 42 eggs -- 15 from one source and 4 from a second source which were set first, 15 from a third source set 2 days later, and 9 from a fourth source set 2 more days later. Humidity was kept at 20-30% until day 19 (days were counted from the first group that went in). 101.5 was the target temp. While it stayed relatively steady, there a couple spikes toward 102 and some down to 100 that were adjusted mostly by the plug going in or out.
Two of the egg groups were badly handled, etc. and had a disappointing percentage go into lockdown with many scrambled and blood-ring eggs, but the other two did quite well -- 11/15 and 3/4 from the first group, 2/17 from the second group, and 3/9 from the last group. The humidity went up to 50-55% on day 19, when one egg from the first group pipped and humidity was raised to 65-75% where it stayed for the remainder of the hatch. The temp stayed from 100-101.5.
The results --
First group -- 11/15 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown **one little one stopped zipping for 12 hours, so I helped it out, but it ended up with a bad leg and had to be culled**
Second group -- 2/4 hatched, 75% of what went into lockdown **the last was a dark green egg that I didn't see much in on day 19 and could very well not have been alive at lockdown**
Third group -- 2/17 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown
Fourth group -- 3/9 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown
This was the first time I had all but one egg that went into lockdown hatch, and I was quite impressed that all of the staggered groups' eggs that went into lockdown hatched.
Thanks to ChooksChick for invaluable help!!
I hope this encourages others that a staggered hatch in a still air IS possible and CAN be successful!
I started with 42 eggs -- 15 from one source and 4 from a second source which were set first, 15 from a third source set 2 days later, and 9 from a fourth source set 2 more days later. Humidity was kept at 20-30% until day 19 (days were counted from the first group that went in). 101.5 was the target temp. While it stayed relatively steady, there a couple spikes toward 102 and some down to 100 that were adjusted mostly by the plug going in or out.
Two of the egg groups were badly handled, etc. and had a disappointing percentage go into lockdown with many scrambled and blood-ring eggs, but the other two did quite well -- 11/15 and 3/4 from the first group, 2/17 from the second group, and 3/9 from the last group. The humidity went up to 50-55% on day 19, when one egg from the first group pipped and humidity was raised to 65-75% where it stayed for the remainder of the hatch. The temp stayed from 100-101.5.
The results --
First group -- 11/15 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown **one little one stopped zipping for 12 hours, so I helped it out, but it ended up with a bad leg and had to be culled**
Second group -- 2/4 hatched, 75% of what went into lockdown **the last was a dark green egg that I didn't see much in on day 19 and could very well not have been alive at lockdown**
Third group -- 2/17 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown
Fourth group -- 3/9 hatched, 100% of what went into lockdown
This was the first time I had all but one egg that went into lockdown hatch, and I was quite impressed that all of the staggered groups' eggs that went into lockdown hatched.
Thanks to ChooksChick for invaluable help!!
I hope this encourages others that a staggered hatch in a still air IS possible and CAN be successful!
