New to incubating, a few questions

[FourandSix]

Hello! I have had chickens for about 6 years now, but I have never incubated eggs before and I have 12 eggs arriving from a hatchery next week. I have been doing a lot of reading, but I still have a few (A LOT!) of questions. Any answers and suggestions would be helpful!
1. Do I need to disinfect my incubator before I use it? All I have done with it is run it for a few days to learn how to use it.
2. How do I safely disinfect it if needed?
3. I have an Incuview, should I remove the turner before lockdown?
4. My incubator only has one vent hole, should I leave it open the whole 21 days?
5. Since the eggs are shipped, can they settle in paper egg cartons at room temperature?
6. What is the most efficient/safe way to candle and remove the turner without breaking the eggs?
Sorry for so many questions, I'm very nervous!

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Hi there! You are about to experience a wonderful, beautiful thing! It is so special to incubate your own chickies!
To answer your questions,
1. Yes, always disinfect your incubator.
2. Brinsea sells an excellent cleanser specifically made for incubators. Otherwise, a mild bleach-in-water solution will work.
3. YES you remove the turner at lockdown time.
4. Yes, leave your vent open the whole time.
5. Yes, you can let eggs sit in egg cartons at room temperature, provided that the temps are cool. You don't want them to get too warm and start developing. If you have a basement, this is the perfect storage place. 60-70 degrees F is ideal.
6. To remove the eggs, place them back in a carton, remove the egg turner and then lay the eggs back in the incubator. You can candle in a number of ways. If you have unstable air cells, you can candle by placing your light source on top of the eggs rather than moving each egg. Alternatively you can take them out and lay them down horizontally on a flat surface, and bring your light source up to the end of your egg, and slowly rotate the egg to see all around it. Check out some candling videos on this site and on YouTube!


Don't be sorry! Good on you for seeking knowledge!
If you have any further questions keep asking away! We are here to help!

 

[FourandSix]

Hi there! You are about to experience a wonderful, beautiful thing! It is so special to incubate your own chickies!
To answer your questions,
1. Yes, always disinfect your incubator.
2. Brinsea sells an excellent cleanser specifically made for incubators. Otherwise, a mild bleach-in-water solution will work.
3. YES you remove the turner at lockdown time.
4. Yes, leave your vent open the whole time.
5. Yes, you can let eggs sit in egg cartons at room temperature, provided that the temps are cool. You don't want them to get too warm and start developing. If you have a basement, this is the perfect storage place. 60-70 degrees F is ideal.
6. To remove the eggs, place them back in a carton, remove the egg turner and then lay the eggs back in the incubator. You can candle in a number of ways. If you have unstable air cells, you can candle by placing your light source on top of the eggs rather than moving each egg. Alternatively you can take them out and lay them down horizontally on a flat surface, and bring your light source up to the end of your egg, and slowly rotate the egg to see all around it. Check out some candling videos on this site and on YouTube!


Don't be sorry! Good on you for seeking knowledge!
If you have any further questions keep asking away! We are here to help!

Thank you so much for the help!