Before lockdown questions!

[Brie6895]

Ok this is my first incubator and first time hatching eggs, tomorrow night is when I will set my eggs for lockdown. If possible if I posted some pictures of my air sacs would y'all be able to tell if they are at the right spot? I know there are charts online but I'd rather hear first hand that mine are ok.

Next my humidity has been around 40-46ish and temp is around 99.5. I have a little giant still air incubator. I have quite a few questions and would appreciate some feedback!

1. Do you raise your humidity when you hear the first external pip or do you prefer to raise your humidity on the 18th day right at lock down?

2. What should I raise mine too, 65?
I'm confused about this because I know the humidity will rise once they start hatching won't it begin to drown the chicks that havnt hatched yet if I already turn it up?

3. What is do you prefer to sit the eggs in when you take the turner out?
I've seen some cupcake liners and I've heard of putting egg cartons with the bottoms cut out .

4. Should I cover the bottom of the bator with anything so they have something to stand on other than the hardware cloth style floor most bators have? Or will this block the water underneath from raising the humidity.

5. Do you prefer to keep the bator door closed for 24 hours and then remove as many hatched eggs as possible? or do you wait the suggested 3 days?

6. I'm extremely nervous on trying to get the humidity up (whenever y'all suggest me to start) what if the humidity rises too high how will I be able to lower it? I
I'm worried me trying to get the humidity just right will be tough for the little ones if it does fluctuate.

That's all I can think of for now. I know I'm asking too many but I want as much knowledge as possible I have read online soo many things I'd just like to hear what the real pros have to suggest. Thank y'all!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi take a deep breathe!!! Will try and answer you're questions. First your humidity sounds like it has been fine during incubation. Put your humidity up at day 18 when you lock down. Yes it should be 65. You will get a spike when chicks hatch but it will go back down. No your chicks wont drown. I put mine in egg cartons at lockdown if they are posted eggs or lay on side if not posted. I have good hatches using both methods. You can put cloth on bottom It is meant to make clean up easier I don't though. I leave chicks in 24 hours till dry and fluffy or if the incubator is looking full. Try not to worry about the humidity too much as long as it's 65 some people do hatch higher. If you think it's too high do you have a vent on your bator that you could open more to bring it down? Hope I got all your question answered.

 

[Brie6895]

Hi take a deep breathe!!! Will try and answer you're questions. First your humidity sounds like it has been fine during incubation. Put your humidity up at day 18 when you lock down. Yes it should be 65. You will get a spike when chicks hatch but it will go back down. No your chicks wont drown. I put mine in egg cartons at lockdown if they are posted eggs or lay on side if not posted. I have good hatches using both methods. You can put cloth on bottom It is meant to make clean up easier I don't though. I leave chicks in 24 hours till dry and fluffy or if the incubator is looking full. Try not to worry about the humidity too much as long as it's 65 some people do hatch higher. If you think it's too high do you have a vent on your bator that you could open more to bring it down? Hope I got all your question answered.

Thank you! What do you mean by "if they are posted eggs" ?
And good I was worried if I didn't put anything on the bottom that they might get a toe or foot stuck in the bottom.

How do you get your humidity up? Just fill the bottom water reservoirs?

Unfortunely the only two vents I have in the bator are already open. If the humidity got too high would I be able to make an extra hole of my own?

I just went a bought a digital hygrometer. And placed it in there. I'm about to leave for work so ill see what the temps are according to that

Thanks again

 

[Brie6895]

These are some examples of where my egg sacks are they havnt gotten much bigger since day 14. Should I be concerned? These arnt as big as the diagram ive seen and tomorrow is day 18..

Silkie egg

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

There are no set rules for incubation everything is just guide lines. When I say posted eggs I mean shipped eggs through the postal service. I think your air sacs look ok you have till day 21 remember still time for them to get bigger. They do a lot in the last 7 days. To get your humidity up yes add water but it is surface area and not depth that creates the humidity sometimes moist sponge or cloths are better for surface area with Luke warm water. Also you could slightly close your vents to raise humidity. Don't close them right up your eggs need oxygen. I have a Brinsea incubator that has one vent it recommend at least half way open for hatching. If you have two you should be able to control humidity with these. More open is to reduce and more closed to increase. But never fully closed. Try not to worry its nerve racking and exciting all rolled into one!!! And is the same for every hatch. Let me know how you get on.

 

[Brie6895]

Thank you so much for your responses you have helped a lot! Tonight is the night

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi. How has your lock down gone? Did you get your humidity up ok?

 

[Cynthia12]

Ok this is my first incubator and first time hatching eggs, tomorrow night is when I will set my eggs for lockdown. If possible if I posted some pictures of my air sacs would y'all be able to tell if they are at the right spot? I know there are charts online but I'd rather hear first hand that mine are ok.

Next my humidity has been around 40-46ish and temp is around 99.5. I have a little giant still air incubator. I have quite a few questions and would appreciate some feedback!

1. Do you raise your humidity when you hear the first external pip or do you prefer to raise your humidity on the 18th day right at lock down?

2. What should I raise mine too, 65?
I'm confused about this because I know the humidity will rise once they start hatching won't it begin to drown the chicks that havnt hatched yet if I already turn it up?

3. What is do you prefer to sit the eggs in when you take the turner out?
I've seen some cupcake liners and I've heard of putting egg cartons with the bottoms cut out .

4. Should I cover the bottom of the bator with anything so they have something to stand on other than the hardware cloth style floor most bators have? Or will this block the water underneath from raising the humidity.

5. Do you prefer to keep the bator door closed for 24 hours and then remove as many hatched eggs as possible? or do you wait the suggested 3 days?

6. I'm extremely nervous on trying to get the humidity up (whenever y'all suggest me to start) what if the humidity rises too high how will I be able to lower it? I
I'm worried me trying to get the humidity just right will be tough for the little ones if it does fluctuate.

That's all I can think of for now. I know I'm asking too many but I want as much knowledge as possible I have read online soo many things I'd just like to hear what the real pros have to suggest. Thank y'all!

Let's see, I also have used the Little Giants..for years!
1..I don't raise the humidity until day 18.
2..I really try to keep my humidity during lockdown anywhere from 60 t0 63..65 is fine too.
3..I tried the cartons..did not like them! If the egg pips in the side, or bottom, I found that the chick has a hard time zipping. I use a shelf liner, the plastic kind.
4..I use the plastic liner, I cut it to fit on the sides and in the middle. I leave the resivours open.
5..I always have taken the chicks out once they have dried a bit. You can leave them in too long..no longer than 24 hrs.
6..I have always had to add a clean cloth in the these bators to get my humidity up. If you see it around the 60's, no worries..just not over 65.

I see these are silkie eggs. I find they can go as long as long as a reg. chick size. will start to turn, then sometimes can't. I have hatched many a silkie, they can be hard to get through the zip stage. To be honest with you, if I haven't seen a pip by late day 20, I am going in. I have helped many a silkie out. Folks always ask, why do you always get a good silkie hatch, because I know that they are having problems if not pipped internally by day 20. You should hear peeping if you are in a quiet room and flash a bright flash light on the egg. No sign on day 21? Hope it isn't too late. Good luck, let us know how it is going. If you need help with .. helping the chick out, let me know. Sally Sunshine has a great page for help also.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

 

[Brie6895]

Hi. How has your lock down gone? Did you get your humidity up ok?

Well I ended up second guessing my self right before I started.. So I spent another 2 hours looking up wether to wait to add water and wether or not I should sit them on their sides. After all that research I ended up placing all 11 that made it into a egg carton with the bottoms cut out and placed it into the center of the bator. I added a dish with a dry sponge for now under a bigger vent hole for me to add water too once I see the first pip..

And I've already scared myself thinking I should have just laid them on their sides. Especially the 4 Silkie eggs I have..

Ill be glad when this is near the end so the next time I can breathe a little easier knowing what to expect. I have to say its a little frustrating when my DH is in my ear telling me that its not that big of a deal and to just leave them in there. But he said to put them on their sides. His example was their on their sides under the hen! And he's got a point but **** if I can't make up my mind lol. I appreciate you checking in on me! I know I sound like an annoying newbie but I'm so thankful for this forum. I don't know what I'd do without the help of my friendly chicken friends!

I forgot to add. I ended up putting in paper towels on the floor.. Now I'm reading that'll dry the egg out faster so I'm tempted to open real fast and grab it from under the carton. But then I'm tempted to just remove them completely from the cart. Do any of those sound like good ideas? Today is day 19. Tonight at 10:30 will begin day 20.

 

[Cynthia12]

Well I ended up second guessing my self right before I started.. So I spent another 2 hours looking up wether to wait to add water and wether or not I should sit them on their sides. After all that research I ended up placing all 11 that made it into a egg carton with the bottoms cut out and placed it into the center of the bator. I added a dish with a dry sponge for now under a bigger vent hole for me to add water too once I see the first pip..

And I've already scared myself thinking I should have just laid them on their sides. Especially the 4 Silkie eggs I have..

Ill be glad when this is near the end so the next time I can breathe a little easier knowing what to expect. I have to say its a little frustrating when my DH is in my ear telling me that its not that big of a deal and to just leave them in there. But he said to put them on their sides. His example was their on their sides under the hen! And he's got a point but **** if I can't make up my mind lol. I appreciate you checking in on me! I know I sound like an annoying newbie but I'm so thankful for this forum. I don't know what I'd do without the help of my friendly chicken friends!

I forgot to add. I ended up putting in paper towels on the floor.. Now I'm reading that'll dry the egg out faster so I'm tempted to open real fast and grab it from under the carton. But then I'm tempted to just remove them completely from the cart. Do any of those sound like good ideas? Today is day 19. Tonight at 10:30 will begin day 20.

Day 19? Yes, go for it. Should be fine..take those towels out, and yes, I like to put my eggs on their sides personally. I also keep the plugs out of the top of the bator, both, if you have two. Put a damp sponge in..I use those a lot too. They keep the moisture pretty good.