When to put them in the incubator?

[sunnie7]

I’m doing my first attempt at shipped eggs 22 half CCL and Silverudd Blues they were sent out today and are “supposed” to be here in 2 days. I also picked up a dozen Welsummer eggs locally. The local eggs are 2 days old. Should I go ahead and start them in an incubator tomorrow or wait a couple days in hopes to start them all together? I have multiple incubators.

 

[JacinLarkwell]

Depends on if you have 2 brooders. Waiting 2 (3 including the 24 hours they're supposed to rest blunt end up) days more won't hurt the local eggs as long as they stay under 8 days old by the end

 

[TheAlrightyGina]

Make sure you store them properly as well! Somewhere cool (but not refrigerator cold) and humid is your best bet, like a basement if you have one.

 

[sunnie7]

Thank you both! They are in our in finished room in the basement and I’m turning them by tilting one end of the carton. I just wanted to make sure the local eggs would be okay waiting a bit. I don’t want 2 brooders!

 

[Alaskan]

Thank you both! They are in our in finished room in the basement and I’m turning them by tilting one end of the carton. I just wanted to make sure the local eggs would be okay waiting a bit. I don’t want 2 brooders!

Staggered hatches in an incubator always reduce your success rate a bit

It is much better to wait a little.

Hatch starts to go down slightly after about 7 or 10 days, but it isn't a significant drop until after the two week mark.

Sounds like you are taking perfect care of the eggs while you wait.

 

[MissMonty]

I would wait and put them all in at once. A couple days shouldn't be a bit issue.