ARG! Everybody says to do a different temp and humidity level!!

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay, this is my first time incubating and admittedly I am a little neurotic and obsessive about it. That being said, I am really confused about the correct temperature and humidity to strive for.
I have a Hovabator 1602 still air. I am in TN where it has been monsooning for the last two weeks. Eggs are on day 7.

The directions with the incubator say to keep temps at 100 deg F.
Searching on here the general results say to keep it at 102 for still air.
My temps have been between 99 and 102.7. Am I killing them?

Humidity is not mentioned in the directions at all other than to fill up the trough and leave it full.
Dry incubation proponents on here say to leave the humidity in the 30-40% range.
Others say to keep humidity in the 60% range.
With both vent plugs out (due to reading on here that ventilation is key) and no water in the trough, but an open orange juice glass of water serving as a heat sink my humidity has stayed between 40-48%. I know I am supposed to up that on day 18, but for now is it fine?

I just need one set of directions to follow. I've candled everything, but truthfully don't really know what I'm looking for. I have tossed three eggs already (two that had the yolk just swishing around with no apparent veining and one that had a definite line around the dark part which I assumed was a blood ring), but I see veins in some and dark areas in most (like the air cell is there and one side of the egg is really dark).

Whose directions do I follow? I really want these eggs to do well!

 

[NancyP]

hope this will help.
http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/b6092.pdf

 

[shelleyd2008]

Temp should be 99.5 degrees at the middle of the egg. Since it is difficult to get the incubator to stay at 99.5, some do use the 100 degree mark. Still air or forced air, either one should be between 99 and 100 degrees, otherwise you will have early hatches (too high) or late hatches (too low). But the temp should be taken at the level of the center of the egg. Or you could use a water wiggler, and the temp should be as close to 99.5 as it can be.

Humidity, well, that's a different story. Many people have good luck with their humidity relatively low, around 30%. I do not. Mine works better with humidity in the 40's or 50's. But a lot of that has to do with the humidity in your area, as well as your elevation, among other things. It's kind of 'hit-and-miss' with humidity. You really just need to see what works best for you. Try it around 40 for incubation, and at least 60% for the hatch, these are in the 'mid' range of normal. It is best to try on inexpensive eggs until you get it down pretty well.

 

[JewellFarm]

Shellyd gave good advice, that is basically what we do as well and have had good luck with. High humidity doesn't work well for us. Upper 30's to low 40's till around day 20 for us then 50's to 60's.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay... got it. The 102 temp was making me nervous. I've had several hen hatches and it just has never felt that warm underneath her. I don't want to bake them in the shell!

99-100 degree temperatures
40% ish humidity until the end and then around 60% ish.

Thanks!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
The 102 temp is for temperatures taken at the top of the egg. In a forced air incubator (one with a fan) the temp at the top of the egg should be the same as the temp at the middle of the egg. In a still air, hot air rises, so the top of the egg should be about 101, and middle of the egg should be 99-100. I always go by the middle of the egg temp, the 102 thing is very misleading.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Okay, I have two thermometer/hygrometers in there. The Accurite with the probe is laying flat on the grid. This morning it read 99.7. The second Accurite (no probe) is standing up against the wall and it read 99 this morning. The top of that one is higher than the top of the eggs. Shouldn't it be reading higher than the one laying flat?
(This is a still air incubator.)

 

[walkswithdog]

Too close to the wall and it will be measuring wall temp not air temp. Lay it on top of the eggs for an actual air at the top of the egg reading.

And 101 range, at the top of the eggs, is what you want to see in still air. 102 teeters too close to going too high when the LG burps and spits out higher temp spikes.

Right now you are running too cool for a still air. Minimum is 100 for proper timing of hatch. 99 and 99.5 can reduce or slow a hatch.

 

[DawnSuiter]

Quote:
Follow the manufacturers instructions!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
To put it simply... find what works for you and follow those directions.