NEW to the Chicken World!

Hello everyone, I am so excited to FINALLY have my own chickens! growing up they were always my favorite part of going to my papas house and now I get to share that experience with my 4 children but I am nervous lol. I resently purchased a still air incubator and I have 18 eggs on their way to me in the mail. (6 naked neck, 12 black copper marans). I know that since they are thro the mail the hatching rate will go down. I also know that I have to let them sit pointed side down for at least 12 hours to settle before putting them in. I know some stuff here and there that I've been researching and reading up on.

Is there anything that you as an experienced incubator-er have learned or know that would be helpful to me in my adventure? Any advice would be much appreciated

Thanks, Katie

Welcome to BYC!

The most common problem with incubators seems to be temperatures not being correct. Never trust one thermometer, always test with a couple to verify accuracy. Make sure your adjustments are made and temps/humidity are stable before introducing the eggs. Good luck and enjoy!

Thank you so much! Yes I did notice that about mine. I ran it for about 8 hours to test it out. I was able to keep the humidity at 50 without any water and the temp on the unit said 97 but inside thermometer said 100. Im buying a third just to be sure.

kdunn716 said:

Thank you so much! Yes I did notice that about mine. I ran it for about 8 hours to test it out. I was able to keep the humidity at 50 without any water and the temp on the unit said 97 but inside thermometer said 100. Im buying a third just to be sure.

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Have you calibrated your thermometer and hygrometer? I can link directions on how to do that if you'd like. Also, the temps for still air need to be a little higher, between 101 & 102, taken at the top of the egg. Shipped eggs are their own challenge. After letting them rest for 12 hours, candle to check on their air cell damage. I leave my shipped eggs in a vertical position (inside the incubator) with out turning for at least 48 hours, longer if there is bad damage.

Anybody who disagrees, feel free to butt in, you won't hurt my feelings. It is extremely important to keep CONSISTENCY. i have noticed that I have MUCH better results to have my temp. consistently a certain small amount low or consistently a VERY SMALL amount high than to have the perfect temperature 1/3 of the time, have it too high 1/3 of the time and too low 1/3 of the time. If your temp is always a bit to low, then the hatch will just be delayed. This is what I have found from personal experience, that if I can't get that temp set on 99.5 and it is always shifting from 98-99.5... I just leave it. For me, it does more harm than good to go high, low, high, low, high, low 5 times a day.

drewskimac said:

Anybody who disagrees, feel free to butt in, you won't hurt my feelings. It is extremely important to keep CONSISTENCY. i have noticed that I have MUCH better results to have my temp. consistently a certain small amount low or consistently a VERY SMALL amount high than to have the perfect temperature 1/3 of the time, have it too high 1/3 of the time and too low 1/3 of the time. If your temp is always a bit to low, then the hatch will just be delayed. This is what I have found from personal experience, that if I can't get that temp set on 99.5 and it is always shifting from 98-99.5... I just leave it. For me, it does more harm than good to go high, low, high, low, high, low 5 times a day.

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I do agree. I use to flip out over little fluctuations and think I did more harm messing with it. To error on the lower side is also better. Too hot will kill off the chicks. Also 50% humidity is a little too high for incubation. IMO. I have had great luck keeping mine at 35% during incubation and then jumping to 75% at lockdown. With that said everyone is different. Your best indicator on humidity is the air cells. Watch them on day 7 and 14 and make adjustments based on what you see. Good luck!

kuchchicks said:

I do agree. I use to flip out over little fluctuations and think I did more harm messing with it. To error on the lower side is also better. Too hot will kill off the chicks. Also 50% humidity is a little too high for incubation. IMO. I have had great luck keeping mine at 35% during incubation and then jumping to 75% at lockdown. With that said everyone is different. Your best indicator on humidity is the air cells. Watch them on day 7 and 14 and make adjustments based on what you see. Good luck!

Click to expand...

Yes, I think you're right, I keep my humidity low too. It all depends on your location, where I live the humidity is very high and I have had problems with drowning chicks.

How do I get the humidity down then? Its at 50 without water or anything in it. Its kinda humid here for this time of year. I got the black copper eggs today, candling them is a challenge lol nearly impossible but they were only shipped yesterday and nothing with damaged or broke so im just hoping they are ok.

If it's at 50 and you havnt added any, then just leave it. If you have issues with air cells and such then you may need to consider a dehumidifier.

How do you know it is at 50%? Reason I ask is that the thermometers and hygrometers built in to incubators can be horribly inaccurate. Have you calibrated everything?