Chicken and Duck Eggs together?

[seberger22]

I set chicken eggs last week that are on day 6 or 7 today.
Then my friend surprised me and brought me some fertilized duck eggs today. I'd really love to add them too since I'm doing this in my kindergarten classroom, and it would be so fun for them to see chicks and ducklings!
But I know if I was going to do that, I should've set the duck eggs a week earlier than the chicken eggs, not a week later.
I have an automatic turner which will come out on day 18. That would be day 12 or 13 for the duck eggs, and I keep the incubator at school. I don't know how I would turn the duck eggs while the chicken eggs are on lockdown.
Is there any way to do this?

 

[BullChick]

The chicken eggs will hatch within a few days. I’ve not killed a duckling yet by not turning for a few days while chicks hatched.
I am not saying it’s an ideal situation. I’m saying that I have not had a problem.

 

[seberger22]

The chicken eggs will hatch within a few days. I’ve not killed a duckling yet by not turning for a few days while chicks hatched.
I am not saying it’s an ideal situation. I’m saying that I have not had a problem.

Can you tell me more about that?
Did you set both types of eggs on the same day? I'm worried that not turning the duck eggs for a few days that early in the process for them (they'll only be on day 13 or 14 at that point) will be problematic. If they were day 18-22 or so (if I had set them both at the same time) I wouldn't be as concerned.

 

[BullChick]

I’ve done it three times. Once on the same day, once with the ducks a week ahead, and once with the duck eggs only on day five when I removed the turner.

 

[seberger22]

I’ve done it three times. Once on the same day, once with the ducks a week ahead, and once with the duck eggs only on day five when I removed the turner.

Oh wow! Okay!
So when the duck eggs were on day 5, and the chicken eggs were on lockdown, you just waited for the chicks to hatch and then once you took all of them out, you started turning the duck eggs again? Did you clean up the hatching residue from the chick eggs at all first? Or just continue on with the ducks?

Also, my chicken eggs should go on lockdown over the weekend. Since this is in my classroom, I was thinking of taking out the turner a few days early (day 14 or 15) and then increasing the humidity early in the morning on day 19. Is that ok? Or should I come in on the weekend?

 

[BullChick]

Yes, I removed the chick shells.
If Friday is day 14/15, why not wait to do lockdown on Monday?
There is a chance that I am misunderstanding. But if I am not, lockdown is usually day 18 or 19.

 

[seberger22]

Yes, I removed the chick shells.
If Friday is day 14/15, why not wait to do lockdown on Monday?
There is a chance that I am misunderstanding. But if I am not, lockdown is usually day 18 or 19.

Okay, I was worried about waiting until Monday morning on the 19th day because what if some have already pipped?
I guess what I meant is to take the eggs out of the turner on day 14/15 and then put the incubator on lockdown (increase humidity) on day 19. But if it's ok to do it all on 19 I'll do that. I just don't want to shrinkwrap any chicks!

 

[seberger22]

Yes, I removed the chick shells.
If Friday is day 14/15, why not wait to do lockdown on Monday?
There is a chance that I am misunderstanding. But if I am not, lockdown is usually day 18 or 19.

I just talked to my principal about the possibility of shrinkwrapping, and she said she would rather just come in to school on Sunday (day 18) to start lockdown than risk the loss of the chicks.
So lockdown will be day 18, which will be day 10 for the ducks. You think that will be ok?

 

[seberger22]

Yes, I removed the chick shells.
If Friday is day 14/15, why not wait to do lockdown on Monday?
There is a chance that I am misunderstanding. But if I am not, lockdown is usually day 18 or 19.

Is removing the chick shells all you did in terms of cleaning? Or did you do a whole wipedown of the incubator before re-setting duck eggs?

 

[BullChick]

I just removed shells. They weren’t in there long enough to go to the bathroom.