Incubator help

[mandi plus five]

Hi Everyone
I am after a bit of advice, I have a Brinsea Octagon, which had 18 eggs in, I have candled and there are seven healthy little ones, I am about to take out the other 11 eggs, but will this affect the overall temp/humidity. I have a smaller Brinsea that only holds 10 eggs, would I be able to move the seven eggs into that one, or am I better off leaving them where they are ?
I have read some hatching stories that an incubator only a third full did not hatch.
Also if I were to hatch more chicks a week later, would I be able to put them all in together in a brooder or should I keep them separate ?

Many Thanks
Mandi

 

[chrismahon]

If the eggs have not developed Mandi they need to be removed as they will be decomposing. First sign of problems is when they 'weep' and small crusty deposits form in spots on the surface. At this stage they are about to explode and that will result in the flood of bacteria killing the good chicks as well. Its a myth that part filled incubators don't hatch.

In our experience even one week apart they have formed a 'flock'. The established ones will atttack the smaller weaker ones. You could combine them at say three weeks but the inportant thing is that their space isn't compromised. So when they are mixed they all need moving into a much bigger area. The change will disorientate them all and they will reform into a larger flock.

 

[mandi plus five]

Thankyou I shall remove the others

Would I be OK to move the seven eggs to the smaller one anyway or will this risk them not hatching, as I would like to set the other eggs in the larger one.

Mandi

 

[Marigold]

I expect you have a Brinsea Eco, have you Mandi, if it takes 10 large eggs? I have only had experience of the Brinsea Mini Advance which takes 7 chicken eggs or 12 quail, but have had 2 very good hatches recently from it. I can't see there wouold be problems with moving the eggs so long as you ran the small inci for 24 hours or so to check temperature stability etc. I don't expect it has a hygrometer built in to assess humidity - mine doesn't - but I just ran it dry until the last 2 days and all that were fertile hatched with no trouble at all.

 

[kegs]

What day of incubating have you candled on and are you absolutely sure that the other 11 are infertile? I only ask because some of the shells on the eggs I incubated were quite thick and early on there were a couple that I thought I should dispose of but they actually hatched. Good luck.

 

[mandi plus five]

Thanks Kegs, it is Day 4/5 and there are a couple that I am going to keep a watch on until day 7, as my nine year old is convinced we will get more!!
The seven definites are so clear, I was amazed (first time using an incubator!).

Mandi

 

[Chuck]

At 4/5 days I would not expect to be certain about fertilty especially if the shells are dark. I would only take a stab at my Leghorn eggs which are white at that stage. When you are sure, I'd take the infertile ones out but would not change incubators unless you have to for various reasons. There is no problem with leaving a smaller number of eggs in the incubator as we do it all the time after candling with no ill effects.

Re. mixing chicks, I agre with Chris and would not mix chicks even a week apart but I know others do and it seems to work for them. The younger ones can get bullied and knocked about as those a week older are much more active. You could try it of course under strict and frequent observation and remove the younger ones if necessary.

 

[Philcott]

I've been hatching for a long time, and I don't always believe what I am seeing at 7 days - I always re-check at 10 days before slinging them out, white shelled or not! I have also been told that candeling earlier than 7 days can have dire consequences for the chick. The earliest you should candle is about 7 - 10 days.