Advice on building DIY incubator

[CluckEmUp]

Setting eggs on wet rag is not a good option or wet rag laying on eggs.

Thanks, I figured it wasn't (egg shells can absorb moisture, I believe) but just wanted to make sure.

I'm rotating the eggs like 3 to 5 times a day, does it matter how the eggs are laying? (which side up?) The eggs are currently just laying down on its side.

 

[Huntmaster]

If self-turning I would mark eggs while laying on side with x on top and an o on bottom so when turning you alternate to x then o and so on. like you said 3 to 5 times per 24 hours.

 

[CluckEmUp]

Make sure you thoroughly test for hot and cold spots and also beware at what level you’re placing the thermometer relative to the center of the egg.

Another question regarding temperature. Are fluctuations in temperature okay? I noticed that during the day it gets hotter (around 38C degrees/ 100.4F), but at night and early morning its at 37.5C / 99.5F +/-.

I know the optimal temperature would be a steady 37.4-37.6C, but its difficult to keep it at those temps. Is there any worry that it goes up and down like that? I read somewhere that the eggs might develop too fast if it's above 100F?

 

[CluckEmUp]

So it's day 3 (counting the day I put the eggs in the incubator as day 0) and I candled the eggs to see if there's any progress. For 3 of the eggs there definitely are visible growths / veins. The other 3 nothing, but they're also darker eggs so difficult to spot. Will try again at day 5.

If I still see nothing on those eggs, what is the latest day they still have a chance? Like if there's nothing to see on day 10, I should throw those out?

 

[CluckEmUp]

Short update for people that might be curious along the line. This is day 20, 2 days in "lockdown". From the 6 eggs I candled on day 18, I threw one out which was clearly not fertile (still had a yolk, no veins visible), then for the other 5 I compared with some of the guides here on how they should look.
#1 looked about perfect, could barely see anything inside, the air sac looked about the size it should be. So all good
#2 and 3 the same, except the air sac was much bigger. Almost covering half the egg! I read on some other topic that people still had good hatches from similar eggs, so perhaps nothing to worry about.
#4 and 5 was hard to tell, I don't think they developed enough. Probably no good.

So in lockdown, on day 18 I saw one of the eggs rock back and forth, probably getting in position to hatch! The other eggs had no movement.
Day 19 I started hearing chirping, at first from the one egg but now from 3 eggs!
Day 20, one egg is hatching I think, there's a crack in the egg. No movement on the other ones but lots of chirping.

In other words it looks like my DIY incubator is able to hatch at least 3 out of 6 (if everything goes fine). Probably not bad for a first time where temperatures did fluctuate a lot (and a few times got to 39C degrees, a little too hot).

 

[CluckEmUp]

Day 20, one egg is hatching I think, there's a crack in the egg. No movement on the other ones but lots of chirping.

Whelp, that one already hatched. I saw the egg was a little open so I had to look in closer and I accidentally scared the chick and it literally jumped out of the egg shell .... It seems healthy though and very active already and very noisy.. chirping like crazy. I think it's trying to get the others to hatch as well but no signs yet.

The incubator temp is at 36.5C and 70% humidity, it's fine to leave it in there for 2 days until hopefully more hatch, right?

 

[ChasingChooks]

Wow! Congratulations! That's exciting.

I don't know how long you can leave them in, but I think about 24 hours at least. One time, we removed the chicks too early.... I don't recommend doing that.

 

[killmak]

Whelp, that one already hatched. I saw the egg was a little open so I had to look in closer and I accidentally scared the chick and it literally jumped out of the egg shell .... It seems healthy though and very active already and very noisy.. chirping like crazy. I think it's trying to get the others to hatch as well but no signs yet.

The incubator temp is at 36.5C and 70% humidity, it's fine to leave it in there for 2 days until hopefully more hatch, right?

Yes you can leave them in for 48 hours without issue. I usually take them out early as some of them are so full of energy they knock around all the other eggs. You can safely take them out as soon as they are dry, but if you are having issues keeping humidity and temperature up it is best to leave them in there so you don't hurt the others.

 

[BantyChooks]

How is the hatch going?