achillar30
In the Brooder
- Apr 20, 2023
- 5
- 18
- 21
I keep humidity around 50% for first 18 days. If I fill slowly to keep water at the midline in the trough, I usually can go a couple days without adding it. Vent knob is at halfway point. At day 17, I remove turner (I like to let them get in position a day early since mine usually start pips on day 20), and day 18 put into lockdown, opening vent all the way and slowly adding water until it goes into the second tray (you can see through the plastic if you check carefully.) Humidity jumped to about 65 until they started hatching. Just make sure you put the grate cover back over the water when you remove the turner.
This has been a great thread! Right now I have 12 eggs in. Originally I had 2 clear eggs and one very early quitter, so I moved 3 double-stacked eggs from the 360 into the open spaces so Kebonnix is full. Candling last night, all of them look great!
Thank you both. So much information here that you can only find through experience. I think these two posts will be invaluable for anyone who buys this incubator!A lot of this won't apply to other people's situations - but use what you think is best, and discard the rest. I'm still learning! I have a Kebonnixs incubator, bur also a bigger one from Incubator Warehouse. I use the same methods with both:
Egg selection & storage:
First, I'm rather picky about which eggs I choose. I only set eggs that my hens have laid, so I don't have to deal with shipping damage nor delays. I look for smooth shells with no imperfections, good egg shape, clean (I do NOT wash them), and weight between 65-70 grams. I store them in foam egg cartons on my kitchen counter for no more than 4-5 days prior to incubation. (I have included eggs which were under refrigeration for a day or two, and they all hatched with no issues. I let them naturally warm to room temperature before setting.)
Incubator setup & placement:
I've added a liner of rubbery shelf liner to the base, to help prevent spraddle leg and assist turning - trimmed back a bit so the turner doesn't snag it, and held in place with a few bits of double-sided tape. The incubator is placed in a room where there is little change in air temperature or humidity, and out of direct sunlight. I run it for at least 24 hours before setting eggs, to stabilize temperature and humidity. I've also used layers of paper towels, torn in scraps to fit, then soaked them with water so they'll flatten out and mat together, and left alone to dry for a few days. This way, they don't roll up or snag.
Temperature and humidity, vent, egg position:
I use a graphite pencil to mark eggs with their starting weight and number them, and I place them with the small end towards the center of the unit. I maintain 99.3-100.1-deg-F temperature throughout the hatch. I seek humidity of 35-48% for the first 18 days, then bump it up to 70-80% for the last 3 days. I keep the vent fully open, unless humidity is lower and I need to bump it up - and then I only close it halfway until stabilized, then I open it fully again.
Candling:
I candle usually at Days 5, 11, and 18. I hold eggs over a soft, fluffy scrap of blanket while candling to prevent damage if I happen to drop one. While the incubator lid is off for candling, I place a kitchen towel over the eggs to maintain temperature and try to get through the process as quickly as possible, but not rushed - to prevent damage or mistakes.
Maintenance and monitoring:
I test the turner once every day, and I clean dander from the fan surface with a toothbrush. I monitor temperature and humidity 2-3 times a day and add warm water as needed. I've had backup thermometer/hygrometers in the unit, but cannot seem to get readings that agree with each other or the unit's own gauge. So I finally just put them away and keep my fingers crossed that the unit's gauge is close enough.
Logsheet:
I keep a log on each batch - recording starting weight, candling weights, target hatch weight (13% loss from the date of set), date and time of external pip, date and time of hatch, and any issues noted during the incubation and hatching process. I don't mark air cells (takes too much time), unless there is a saddled cell or one that's abnormally large or small. Then I watch those air cells carefully. I also watch the weight loss to be sure it's still on target for the approximate date of candling. I use a digital kitchen scale, and record weights in grams, not ounces. The logsheet helps me learn about what works and what doesn't, and when to assist.
Logging pip times & assisting:
I log the date and time of each external pip, so that I can keep track of the number of hours of progress. This requires me to open the incubator several times over the next 2-3 days, as I'm also looking for any pips on the bottom of eggs. If they pip on the bottom, I turn them so the pip is facing UP to prevent drowning in their own fluid. I often assist in hatching if the chick has gone 18+ hours with no progress, the blood vessels have dried up, AND signs of shrink-wrapping are starting. I work very slowly with an assist, sometimes taking a few hours. I try to let the chick do most of the work.
(Like to get some hens)
