Please help a newb!!!

[French Hen]

Hello lovely BYC folks. I'm a long time lurker who finally started my flock this year. My first ever incubation was a total bust. 13 eggs and no one made it past day 10. I candled but kept them all in there until day 23... just in case.

I have a Farm Innovators fan circulated bator with an egg turner. None of the eggs had bacterial infection or even smelled a little after day 25 when I finally did all my egg-topsies. Most looked like early quitters and never starters.

Anyway apart from "it happens" I realized after the fact that the red plug things are supposed to be ventilation holes. I've pulled both plugs for my new hatch. Should I do that? Could that have caused my 4 eggs that made it a few days-demise?

I've set a new batch of gorgeous blue eggs and the lovely lovely breeder sent us 18 gorgeously packed eggs for the 12 we ordered (Thanks Lark!!) Such beautiful blue eggs. I set them Sunday. Keep plugs out?

Last question: I just got a shipment of eggs from PapaBrooder and that lovely man sent me more than double what I ordered in the nicest packing I've seen yet.

Is it ok to go ahead and add these eggs to the already incubating eggs? I thought it was but maybe not... should I just order a new bator? (Cuz, you know... I need another one already and I've just started. Lol. I'm already in trouble! Lol)

I've been eyeing the Brinsea 20 Advance Complete thingie that is way over priced but pretty... I know Amazon can get it here fast and the eggs need to sit for air cell damage for a day anyway...

Or am I totally fine adding them to the farm innovators bator?

Thanks in advance!!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It's ok to add eggs as long as there's at least 4 days difference so you can raise humidity and keep it closed until you can remove all the hatched chicks.

I'm not familiar with that incubator but in general, take one plug out for the beginning and both out at the end. They are living breathing creatures and need oxygen. The more the embryos grow the more oxygen they need.

Get your feet wet with the incubator you have and you'll be an expert when you can afford a better one.

Temperature is critical and many times thermometers are inaccurate.

Get a Brinsea Spot Check or this one.

http://www.thermoworks.com/products/low_cost/rt301wa.html#ProductDescription

 

[feedman77]

In you farm innovator incubator you have checked to temperature with a 2nd thermostat. I have read those are a little bit off for what the temp shows and what it is in the incubator.

The red plugs shouldn't hurt being pulled but most of the time pull them during lockdown and hatching phase so pipping chicks get plenty of air.


Before I added them I would verify temp.
I have the brinsea 20 adv with turner no pump and have good hatches with it.

If you want to turn by hand the eco 20 by brinsea is reasonable on ebay.

 

[Leavingegypt]

When did you set the first group of eggs? People do hatches that way, but not easy during lock-down...I have done 1 incubated hatch, 2 broodys and now the third broody gave up after 2 chicks and now the rest are in the incubator. It's an adventure