What should I do if I have multiple eggs and only one is ready for lockdown?

[duckhatcher]

One egg is ready to go into lockdown but the others aren't ready. I only have 1 incubator. What should I do?

 

[AltonaAcres]

What day are the ones not ready for lockdown on? I have a divider in my incubator I made with some fabric and skewer sticks. We'll see how it works! Hatching tomorrow. If they are just a day or two behind the first one, a divider is key because the embryos will be moving in to hatching position and being pushed around by a chick won't be good. If they are earlier along, it should be ok. Unless they are VERY early on and need turned 3+ times a day.

 

[duckhatcher]

What day are the ones not ready for lockdown on? I have a divider in my incubator I made with some fabric and skewer sticks. We'll see how it works! Hatching tomorrow. If they are just a day or two behind the first one, a divider is key because the embryos will be moving in to hatching position and being pushed around by a chick won't be good. If they are earlier along, it should be ok. Unless they are VERY early on and need turned 3+ times a day.

One is 2 days behind and the other 2 eggs are about 2 weeks behind

 

[NuggetTheChicken]

Only turn the eggs that aren't ready yet by hand. Don't turn the lockdown egg.

 

[duckhatcher]

Only turn the eggs that aren't ready yet by hand. Don't turn the lockdown egg.

What about humidity?

 

[Sgt_P]

Some folks use a second incubator as a "hatcher" (moving the newly hatched to a 1-degree cooler 'bator to fluff up, prior to the brooder - so they don't disturb the other eggs).
I assume you don't have access to a second incubator, or you wouldn't have posted the question.
My concern with the 2-week younger eggs is the humidity increase.
The answer is a second incubator (unfortunately). Do you have a TSC near you? They usually stock one or two this time of year...

 

[duckhatcher]

Some folks use a second incubator as a "hatcher" (moving the newly hatched to a 1-degree cooler 'bator to fluff up, prior to the brooder - so they don't disturb the other eggs).
I assume you don't have access to a second incubator, or you wouldn't have posted the question.
My concern with the 2-week younger eggs is the humidity increase.
The answer is a second incubator (unfortunately). Do you have a TSC near you? They usually stock one or two this time of year...

There is a close-ish one but I have a homemade incubator, could I also make another or would it be too late

 

[Sgt_P]

Although these guys are fragile, nature is also tough. (BTW, that can cut both directions...)

My thought is to start raising the humidity in the existing incubator, while constructing the second, and get it up to temp/humidity as quick as you can.

While not ideal, I think that a day of high-humidity on the younger eggs would be the only recourse. Then get them to 35-40% and weigh or candle for progress after a few days to a week.

 

[duckhatcher]

Although these guys are fragile, nature is also tough. (BTW, that can cut both directions...)

My thought is to start raising the humidity in the existing incubator, while constructing the second, and get it up to temp/humidity as quick as you can.

While not ideal, I think that a day of high-humidity on the younger eggs would be the only recourse. Then get them to 35-40% and weigh or candle for progress after a few days to a week.

Ok I will do that

 

[Isaac 0]

One is 2 days behind and the other 2 eggs are about 2 weeks behind

You're going to have a lot of problems then, they need different humidity levels. You won't want an egg that is only a week old at 70% humidity. Can you buy another incubator?