When to Candle and incubating question EGGS at different stages/kinds

[dani2]

Hi,

My name is Nicki and I am new to the forum and have already learned so much. I have a whole batch of eggs going in the incubator and have read a few things about eggs exploding so now I am a little worried and thinking I should candle mine. When is the best time to do it the eggs we have going are about 5 days old is there any trick to candling the dark brown shells?

Also I purchased a bunch of eggs online that were shipped and recieved broken I already had a bunch of other eggs so I just went ahead and started the batch without the ones ordered online. My question is the seller was nice enough to send replacements but is it possible to have eggs going in a incubator at two different stages? I have a automatic turner which I can shut off but I would oviously still have to open the lid to turn the newer eggs during the last three days when the first eggs would be hatching. Also I know the humidity is supposed to be increased the last three days which I am thinking would also affect the second set of eggs. We are also going to a local sale tomorrow that will have both chicks and eggs and we would love to order eggs for our next batch but would really like a mix of chickens and turkeys and this goes back to the first question of if it is possible to hatch eggs that are in different stages.

And finally one last question I have ready lots of info on how many times to turn the eggs usually about 3 or so the incubator we have is Marsh X-incubator and it has a automatic turner that does it once an hour is this to much?

Thanks in advance Nicki
Medical Lake Washington

 

[aberfitch]

no that is not to much to turn the eggs. It is asking for a disaster when you are mixing eggs at different stages.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

You should have a different incubator to hatch the first group in. There are lots of threads here to make your own-just use the search feature. Or you can follow the link in my sig. to see how to use an electric skillet or toaster oven.

 

[coopist]

Hi Nicki,

Your first question was

When is the best time to do it the eggs we have going are about 5 days old is there any trick to candling the dark brown shells

I usually candle at Day 4 and Day 10. The only trick is to use a really bright light. I use a hunter's spotlight with a cardboard box with a small hole cut in the top. Works great.

Your second question was

is it possible to have eggs going in a incubator at two different stages

Yes, but this can lead to problems. The humidity increase you mentioned is one of them. Increasing the humidity for the ones hatching can cause the later ones to have problems, like drowning in the shell. Sometimes, they'll hatch but be smeared with goo. It's better to use two incubators (one as a hatcher) if you stagger your hatches. Lots of people stagger their hatches, but they use a hatcher for best results.

Your last question was about the turning. And yes, that's fine.​