Quote:Originally Posted by snowbird
"Barb, I just use what has been around for years with the Gamefowl people. The first 18 days 40-45 and day 18 60-65 I look for the 65 as that is what I think is best. Most are their own worst enemy. I do not use the gravity system they sell as I get too much humidity. I use the original pan they used to give with the sportsman and the last three days just ad a second.
I run the temp. right at 100 and leave it there during the hatch. I like to use a seperate incubator the last three days. I have had better hatches using a seperate hatcher. If they are hatching a little slow turn up the temp. 1/2 deg"
I always run my bators right about 100 F. I hatch all my chicks at the same time that way, a day early for most of them, whether they are Marans, silkies, ameraucanas, or orpingtons. I first started doing that when I was using the LGs for incubators (with fans) because they were hard to keep at a stable 99.5 so I either had to run at 99 or run at 100. If I ran them at 99 they were a day late. 100 they were a day early. Now I always do it at 100F because it works the best for me no matter which incubator or hatcher I am using here. I have no problems with chicks drowning or dying during hatching. If they pip, they hatch...even if I do have to open the incubator for some reason. (I have a little trick for that situation as well that really seems to work).
Incubators can be so diverse, I think people just kinda have to do a lot of hatching with their particular incubator to see what works for them in their environment.
Last hatch I did, first 3 were out early on Day 20. Last one didn't emerge until well into day 23!! Freaky long hatch.
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