Switching incubator during incubation - which day to pick?

[VlkStinu]

Hi there! Due to some troubles with my current incubator (too small for the eggs, hygrometer not showing proper values, and some troubles maintaining constant humidity), I decided to buy a new, better incubator. I intend to use it for the second batch of eggs that I am collecting at the moment, but I haven't lost all hope regarding the first batch of eggs - at first, I was really worried about the humidity, because the incubator showed 37% whereas in fact there has been about 70% humidity for the first couple of hours, which was obvious from the condensation build upon the lid. I later dealt with that, but still, I imagine the humidity was higher the first two days because of the amount of water in the tanks below (the working hygrometer I've put in there showed humidity around 58-60%), even though I tried to compensate for it by making the gaps around the lid larger, so the excessive moisture can escape. Now the humidity levels are at 53-55%, which was my initial goal. I am not sure how the eggs are doing as it's only the 3rd day today, but I am hoping most of them can still be saved (even the one I had to put horizontally on the turning tray because it was too large to be in the cup, as it was pressing against the lid, preventing it from closing).

But I digress, apologies - my question is regarding the new incubator, which will arrive tomorrow. I was thinking that I could move this first batch into the new incubator to increase the chances of a successful hatch. Do you think it is a good idea to do that right away, that is tomorrow on day 4 or should I wait a little longer for that?

If everything will go according to plan, I should finish collecting eggs for the second batch either on Sunday or Tuesday next week - I planned to put them in the incubator with the already incubating first batch, reset the day counter, and once a lockdown would come for the first batch, I would move them back to the old incubator for the hatching - I already saw that it can hold humidity pretty well and since the trays are removed for the hatching, the eggs will all fit well. And the new batch would stay in the new one and hatch there. What do you think about this?

 

[Mvan42]

If the replacement incubator is set with the temperature and humidity ready for eggs I would say do the switch. If not get it ready rin it until the temp is 99.5°F, and staying steady then move them.
Mean whole take some water out of the incubator to help lower the humidity while you wait.
And if the humidity is the only worry the eggs should be ok. Since your only 4 days in.

 

[VlkStinu]

If the replacement incubator is set with the temperature and humidity ready for eggs I would say do the switch. If not get it ready rin it until the temp is 99.5°F, and staying steady then move them.
Mean whole take some water out of the incubator to help lower the humidity while you wait.
And if the humidity is the only worry the eggs should be ok. Since your only 4 days in.

Yes, I planned to do the switch once the incubator would be up and running and the values of humidity and temperature would be at desired numbers. I would move them as quickly as possible, so hopefully, that will not affect them in any way.

The old incubator already vaporized most of the water, so the values are now in an optimal range. I was thinking about taking some of the water out in the beginning, but decided to rather vent it more as getting the water out would be quite difficult and it would disturb the eggs and the incubation process.

Indeed, the humidity is I hope the only concern. I've calibrated and checked the thermometer, so that should be in order. Another worry was with the turning as some of the eggs were too large and were slightly touching the lid - but they are turning and now that the lid is raised a bit, they are not touching it anymore I think. I just had to lay the largest egg horizontally in between the turning racks as it just didn't fit vertically. It's still somewhat turning with the rest, so I am hoping this one will be fine as well and the switch to the new incubator will help it to get a proper incubation treatment and conditions with the turning. It will be only 4th day tomorrow, so I hope many of these hiccups can be remedied with the new incubator without it having any significant effect on the eggs. I suppose the candling on the 7th day will tell me more!

 

[Mvan42]

Yea it's early you should be good. Also broody leave the nest for sometimes a hour + so a few minutes won't hurt the eggs at all when you switch them to the new incubator . With the humidity higher it just means the eggs will have more "liquid" inside. And since you caught it early that should correct itself once you get it set.

 

[VlkStinu]

Yea it's early you should be good. Also broody leave the nest for sometimes a hour + so a few minutes won't hurt the eggs at all when you switch them to the new incubator . With the humidity higher it just means the eggs will have more "liquid" inside. And since you caught it early that should correct itself once you get it set.

Awesome, thank you!