1st time incubating, need advice.

[kaciewood]

Hi! Not a newbie to chickens or incubating under a broody hen, I have 3 sitting right now but they are my bantam silkies and I want a few more bigger hens for my bigger roosters. So my darling husband bought me an incubator. A little giant 11300. It’s running downstairs now having “passed” the 8 hour run test with it’s own thermometer and hygrometer. I have the eggs now from my big stubbornly non broody bigger hens. Do I go ahead with the incubation or wait and order my own gauges. Also if I order my own thermometer and hygrometer combo where do I put the thingy to get accurate measurements? I’ve done tons of research but I can’t find nothing recent! Halp! Also should I just return this incubator and save for a better one?? This is what we can afford right now. I have 3 foster kids 3 and under and we’re going to have to buy them all new summer clothes soon so money is tight.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

I generally like to let my incubators run for 24 hours to determine if they're holding temperatures consistently. If you have fresh eggs ready to set, you can store them until you're ready to set them.

Definitely get an independent thermometer. A separate hygrometer would also be best. I've found, in the incubators I've used, most displays to be inaccurate, and that will lead to a bad incubation experience, if you aren't aware of - and compensating for - it. I had a Little Giant 9300 (still air) that did a very poor job of maintaining consistent temps...so use only Brinsea and GQF (Hova-Bator) now.

I drop the probe into the vent hole at the top of my incubators. It should work in your LG 11300, too...you may have to widen the vent hole a little if it's too small for the end of the probe.

Best of luck!

 

[kaciewood]

Thanks so much! When I told my friends and family I was incubating eggs for chicks they said “Why? You can buy chicks at any farm store!” But those aren’t “MY” chicks, from my girls. I did get some new 4 month old Buff Orpington pullets and a few roosters for my bigger girls. I have a bunch of bantam silkies and they are setting on 9 eggs collectively. Well I guess I’ll place my amazon order and put these eggs in the basement next to the incubator and wait. I still have it running and we’re pushing 24 hours and it’s doing well. We’ll see when the thermometer get here if it’s accurate

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

YVW! There's nothing like setting eggs and watching them hatch. You determine how to feed/water and otherwise care for them based on your own exhaustive research (and maybe input from the BYC community ) - for example, I only feed non-GMO starter and get them on fermented feed after a few days to a week. No shipping stress, no pasty butts (because you check them regularly), no kids or adults handling the chicks, no neglected/injured/ill chicks languishing in stock tanks...incubation is my personal preference. And it's fun and awe-inspiring every time!

It's good that you'll have an independent thermometer to check against the incubator's - you may find a significant discrepancy. Many people prefer to have at least 2 independent thermometers as a "tie breaker" of sorts (I have 3)...you can find an inexpensive aquarium thermometer like this one at Walmart. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done.

Don't forget to turn those hatching eggs while you're storing them - it will help prevent the yolk from sticking to the shell.

 

[aart]

Definitely get an independent thermometer. A separate hygrometer would also be best.

Absolutely...and test them!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[kaciewood]

YVW! There's nothing like setting eggs and watching them hatch. You determine how to feed/water and otherwise care for them based on your own exhaustive research (and maybe input from the BYC community ) - for example, I only feed non-GMO starter and get them on fermented feed after a few days to a week. No shipping stress, no pasty butts (because you check them regularly), no kids or adults handling the chicks, no neglected/injured/ill chicks languishing in stock tanks...incubation is my personal preference. And it's fun and awe-inspiring every time!

It's good that you'll have an independent thermometer to check against the incubator's - you may find a significant discrepancy. Many people prefer to have at least 2 independent thermometers as a "tie breaker" of sorts (I have 3)...you can find an inexpensive aquarium thermometer like this one at Walmart. It's not fancy, but it gets the job done.

Don't forget to turn those hatching eggs while you're storing them - it will help prevent the yolk from sticking to the shell.

Sooo I have the turner out of the incubator and the eggs already in there being turned! I usually only buy my chicks from animal swaps in my area. You get to know them and I have ones I prefer to use. This is the only time I’ve bought a “type” of chicken I usually take the barnyard mixes because I just love chickens. My bantam silkies I rescued and I think I have 7 roosters but I have enough space and hens they all seem to get along just fine. I free range my chickens and do offer some feed but prefer for them to find their own.