First day for the silkie eggs in the breadbox bator!

[mrsengeseth]

I am super excited!! I have my new eggs in the bator today. Today is day 1. They went in early this morning...since I was up with the chickens anyhow the eggs went in around 6 am.

The temps and humidity are spot on thus far. I worry about my ability to maintain an even temperature. So far...when testing it and even now it has been fine...but still I worry.

What is too high or too low? It hasn't a fan installed but is maintaining a temperature of in the 101 range and a humidity level of 40-42%. From all I have read here for still air, that's pretty good. Will minor fluctuations here and there kill them??

I swear I am worse than i was with my kids as babies. I must have checked these little eggs a few dozen times today (goodthing for the window on the bator!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I use a still air LG incubator, I usually run mine about 100, and they still hatch early. Anything from 97-103 is 'ok'-as long as it is not at either extreme for long. Try to keep it between 99-101. A little low is better than a little high, i have heard. If it is low, it can make them hatch late, but if it is high, they can hatch early (develop too fast) and have birth defects from it. Just keep it between 98-101, and it should be fine.

 

[mrsengeseth]

OK, so maybe tapping it back a few degrees wouldn't hurt, huh?

 

[Heather J]

101 is just right for still air. Is that temp about the level of the top of the egg or the bottom of the egg? Still air temperatures tend to layer, so you'll want to measure it about the top of the eggs. Also, make sure your thermometer is acurate. The one I bought for my last hatch turned out to read several degrees low--guess that's why I only hatched 1 out of 34. *sigh*

 

[shelleyd2008]

I run mine at 100 degrees, with fluctuations of 98-102. I have had 2 hatches so far, and first hatch was 12 out of 13, second was 5 out of 6. My thermometer is the accurite thermometer/hygrometer, that you can get at walmart for about $8. I have it standing up right next to the eggs in the turner, which makes the sensor between the top of egg, and midway down. This is the way I do it, and mine still hatch early. If I were to keep it set at 101, like everyone says, I would not have had as good a hatch as I did. Just my opinion...

 

[Ms Ellen]

Saturday at 6:30am was my day one too for my silkie eggs! So far so good. Today is day 3 and I may try to candle.

 

[whitecra]

I put eggs in also on Sat. Now we will have to update eash other in 3 weeks or sooner. Have fun. I have silkie eggs, golden laced polish, EE eggs and also some brown mixed eggs in the bator. There is 23 in all.
Chris

 

[mrsengeseth]

Today is day...um...3 I think. Saturdat was day 1, so today (monday) is day 3. I am trying to hold off on candling so i will be 100% sure of what I am looking at inside the egg, but i am so excited. The HM bator seems to be holding the temp well. And the humidity seems spot on. So yay!!

 

[Mrs MIA]

You have a fan in there, right? 99.5 F if that is the case. Otherwise you risk them hatching a little early at the higher temps. Not always a good thing. I'm so glad it's holding for you, though!

Wait until day 7 to candle... for sure there will be veins and embryos (little spiders) in there by then if they're going to develop. Day 3 they're still iffy. You can candle, I just wouldn't make any decisions to toss then unless an egg is oozing or stinky.

 

[mrsengeseth]

Yeah. BIL had a few old cpu fans I tore apart...dh had a phone charger that he didn't need anymore (he'll figure that out later, ahem...) and I put myself together a small fan. to mount in the incubator.

Seems to be working pretty well. I put that in on Sunday and backed the temp down to 99.5-99.9 depending on which of the two thermometers i am looking at. One is on a fake egg that is centered in amongst the other eggs, and one is on the wall of the bator, egg level. I really didn't have to do much to back down the temp, the fan circulating the air around sure helped with that.

I think alot of the reason the temp is holding so well is because the room it is in is pretty steady and the temps of the house haven't been too crazy either.