What is the most eggs you have hatched out in a bator at one time?

[Germaine_11.20]

I went egg crazy and now have 2 incubators filled with eggs.
I can't believe I did this.
When the 18th day comes around and I have to get them ready to pip and hatch--how many are too many to put in 1 incubator.
I did hatch out 18 in one batch a few days ago (I am sick and addicted to hatching) and the little darlings were playing kickball with all the unhatched eggs! All but one hatched after much worry and stress on my part.
But oh my gosh I need to hatch out probably 40 at one time. I KNOW they are going to bash each other around and thats alot of chicks to be running around in there.
How large of a batch is the largest batch you have ever hatched out successfully?
I would divide the two incubators up more evenly, but I have 3 goose eggs and 4 peafowl and I know they will be bigger and stomp around with more force.
I really am at a loss of what to do. Any advice other than to never do this many again?

 

[Mahonri]

You'll be fine.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't hatch a whole lot of chicken eggs at once, I usually have staggered sets in mine.

What you can do to keep the others from playing kickball with the eggs is to put the eggs in an egg carton. Or if you have a turner, you can just take the turner trays off and leave the eggs in them.

 

[giasmom]

Get another bator !

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Go ahead and laugh giasmom I have a third one... and it will be full of more eggs that I bought. Sick, sick, sick I am....
I wasn't gonna mention the third because I know that is crazy. My family would give me the side glances like I was nuts as they saw each new incubator enter my office.

It is kind of funny huh?

Ok I have 2 turners, so I will do that. I tried to figure out the egg carton thingy but then I worried that they would pip the wrong end and not be able to come out. So I laid them on their side, and the free for all began.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Your smilies make me laugh giasmom, thanks. Have to keep a sense of humor at a time like this.

 

[MandyH]

660 is my most at one time. If you are worried about them rolling each other around, just hatch them in an egg carton. I hatch ALL mine in egg cartons. They can;t roll around. The only drawback to this is if you have one pip on the wrong end.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Kristen, have you had them pip at the wrong end very often? I noticed that most of mine pipped about 1/3 to 1/2 the way down.

 

[MandyH]

Probably out of 3000 eggs this year, I have had 3 pip on the wrong end.

 

[giasmom]

1/3 to 1/2 way down is good. I've never had one yet to pip the bottom. Guess I've been lucky.