Any Hatching Buddies?? Set Turkey eggs July 12 ***pics*****

[Arielle]

Would love to have some hatching buddies! Incubating is very stressful. Starting with 8 turkey eggs today and adding 6-7 EE eggs in 6 days.

8 turkey eggs put in incubator about 9:30 this morning. Incubator wasn't ready at midnight last night. Running a little too high; gave a fine adjustment and then it was too low this morning.

Readjusted knob a bit this morning. Goal temp is 99-100 degrees on top of the turkey eggs in a still-air LG.

Planning to roll the eggs 5-7 times a day by hand; checking temp each time. Started with one red plug out. And water filling the wells.

THe humidity: While I started with water in the wells, I may not keep it at the level the manual describes. Will depend on humidity in the extra bedroom as the source;need to set up monitor. Plan to candle the eggs to monitor air cell size.

Anyone like to join in and share the details of your incubator setup?

 

[Arielle]

I spent yesterday fussing over the incubator. The temp at 99 on top and 95 on the mesh really bothered me. The average egg temp at 97 seems too low to be effective.

I consulted BYC and had many who thought the same thing so I called the maker of the LG. In a still air, the temp should read 99 at half the height of the eggs. SO I cut a number of paper cups 1 inch high and cut half circles on opposite sides to support the thermometer. A bunch of them to hold all the thermometers. The one that same with the LG still sits on the top as it doesn't fit anywhere else.

SO I turned the knob!! Needed a 2 degree increase. I checked every 2 hours. Worried I had overshot the temperature and the eggs would cook. By late evening the temperatures were holding steady.

I added a turkey egg yesterday and today. Not really sure where in the day count I am because of the low temp initially for 24-36 hours.

 

[XxB0rd3rsxX10]

i set mine in on july 12th too

 

[XxB0rd3rsxX10]

my first setup was a pain.... i pluged it in and every and did exactly as it said but no matter where the knob was the temp. was at 120F

i spent hours trying to figure it out , unpluging it, turning the knob all the way off, going online trying to see what i was doing wrong, but nothing worked

i even stayed up to 2 in the moring trying to get it right!!! and i had eggs waiting to go in the incubator
so i took it back to the store and got a new LG still air incubator and it only took me 30mins to set it to the right temp.



but the eggs all died during lock down and i dont understand why???

 

[Arielle]

XxB0rd3rsxX10, I've read many posts about the failure of the first attempt. Sorry the first time netting nothing. I have found some resources that may help. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204

I'm keeping a journal and it's big already! LOL

my first setup was a pain.... i pluged it in and every and did exactly as it said but no matter where the knob was the temp. was at 120F
i spent hours trying to figure it out , unpluging it, turning the knob all the way off, going online trying to see what i was doing wrong, but nothing worked i even stayed up to 2 in the moring trying to get it right!!!

This is how I felt during set up! But I did get it set up--the manual seems awkward!

it only took me 30mins to set it to the right temp.

So how did you do it--give me a blow by blow!!​

 

[Arielle]

The LG is holding fairly steady. 98-100 at mid height. A challenge to hand turn 5x a day. SOme people say 3 times, even 2 is good enough; the universitys say 5x. I would think a hen would be regularly fussing with her eggs, even if it resulted in only small rotations of the eggs.

I'm worried the room is too steady in temp. the neg pressure pulls in fresh air in minute amounts around the closed and covered window bc/ of the house fan. But is that enough? I put in a plant to increase the O2.

 

[Arielle]

temp has creeped up to 99-100. Kevin porter is okay with the higher temps , up to 103! Just read a post that higher temps favor the boys. Meaning the girls don't hatch as well?

While I'm tempted to decrease to temp to be sure the breeding hens will be favored, I will not change the temp or fiddle in any way. reapeat. I will not change the temp or fiddle in any way.

Setting hens eggs tonight; they are up from the cellar to warm up to 80 and then in they go.

 

[GrannysRoost]

I put in 8 eggs yesterday, 7 Phoenix and 1 Maran mix...I could sit on that one myself I think

I have 2 citified granddaughters here, so we are hatching chicks I hope! I have a Hovabator with fan and turner. My problem is I have had 3 thermometers in on the turner all measuring different. I can put them in water and they register the same, put them in the bator and they vary by a degree or more. I don't want to bake them, so I am going with the highest as right at this point. I did pretty much a dry incubation the first time which was probably too dry for where I am. The person I got these eggs from, as my girls are broody and sharing 5 eggs now, said she uses about 60% first 18, then up to 70 in lockdown and it works for her. So I am averaging about 55% now. Next spring turkey eggs, hoping from my poults, but not sure what I have yet...

 

[Arielle]

Welcome, GannysRoost!

My kids are young, though I'm old enough to be a grandmother! I ove to show things to my kids and experience the wonders of life.

I read a zillion post about incubating here on BYC and I was scared to death to try it. So many people have failed hatches.

I finally figured out it's about the size of the air cell and the % moisture loss in the egg that is key. Found a couple websites with pics to know what I am looking for when candling. I'm still a bit nervous.

What breed are your poults?

 

[Arielle]

Temperature in the room where the 'bator is is rising with the very hot daytime temps(90's to high 80's) and so the incubator, the LG seemed to be running hotter. SO I adjusted the temp--the wrong direction!! It was for 3 hours, and over 104, not sure how far as the thermometers don't read any higher.

I candled a few and at least 3 of the 6 I checked are showing veins. Will continue . . . .