Unknown mixed eggs - Incubating both Muscovy and Pekin eggs at the same time?

[cmobley]

If you do this the moscovy are going to not hatch well. The air cells will not be large enough.

How do others do staggered hatches successfully and get away with it. Some people on here say they never stop adding eggs and hatching do they have a more complex incubator? Just wondering.

 

[Ratchnick]

How do others do staggered hatches successfully and get away with it. Some people on here say they never stop adding eggs and hatching do they have a more complex incubator? Just wondering.

The proper way to do it is to have an incubator and a separate lockdown.

 

[Ratchnick]

Thank you for your thoughts. Just curious why it would affect the air cells so much? The increased humidity?

Yes, having 6 days of extra lockdown humidity is a problem. The moscovy eggs wont get turned for those days as well. If you start the pekin eggs a few days late you might have a chance.

 

[Ratchnick]

Anything you do will be a compromise. So pick the breed you want the most of (pekin, cross, or moscovy) use the proper parameters for whatever you pick and you will probably get some of everything.

 

[cmobley]

Anything you do will be a compromise. So pick the breed you want the most of (pekin, cross, or moscovy) use the proper parameters for whatever you pick and you will probably get some of everything.

Well thats basically the same thing I said lol. Lockdown late let the others bake and get what you can.

 

[Floof]

If you lock down without separating them you run the risk of having soggy muscovies and subsequent health issues. I tried this with chicken and quail once and my orpingtons hatched with health issues and too much water retention. They looked swollen and there were a lot of late quitters and then early deaths for the ones that did hatch. It isn't hard to make a separate hatching incubator since you don't need an egg turner in there.

 

[mommyjess]

If you lock down without separating them you run the risk of having soggy muscovies and subsequent health issues. I tried this with chicken and quail once and my orpingtons hatched with health issues and too much water retention. They looked swollen and there were a lot of late quitters and then early deaths for the ones that did hatch. It isn't hard to make a separate hatching incubator since you don't need an egg turner in there.

Thank you for sharing your experience.

 

[mommyjess]

I would think you could candle them before lock down and see a visible difference. I imagine by day 25 the pekins will have filled the shell and there would still be some space for the muscovy. I've never done it myself but that's what I would try. Do you have a separate lock down incubator?

We don't. We may have to get a second one just for that.

 

[Floof]

We don't. We may have to get a second one just for that.

You could also make one with an inkbird thermostat and a lamp kit

 

[catch22]

Following, have the same problem. My thoughts are see if someone in the area has another bator I can borrow to lockdown the Pekin eggs in while leaving Muscovies in the turner in the one they are currently in. Plus removes the hastle of trying to take out the turner and then put eggs back in.