First Incubation starts Tomorrow lol

[mochicken]

I am incubating my first batch of eggs tomorrow, I was going to wait until spring but my cousin has a farm and has offered me some free fertile eggs to try my hand at incubating before I start with French Black Copper Maran eggs in the spring. I have a heated shed and I have built a 8ft x 8ft brooder with thermostatically ran heat and 2 heat lights, so I am ready for the cold

She has a mix of barred rocks, RIR, and red sex links so I will get a farmyard variety

I am using a borrowed Janoel JN8-48 "automatic incubator" that has an electronic thermostat ( already checked with a real thermometer) a digital humidity display ( also checked with an actual hygrometer) and a days and hours counter ( for the automatic egg turner )

It seems like a pretty sophisticated setup, we just put the water in the two designated trays in the bottom, set the temp, and walk away and it maintains 99.5 degrees and 60% humidity, at 18 days I will take the egg turner out and put the eggs back on the bottom on cheese cloth or paper towel.

I do have one question, do you put the eggs skinny end or fat end first in the automatic egg turner?


Here is a "stock picture" of the incubator I will be using I AM IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH THE SITE STAMPED ON THE PIC SO PLEASE BUY AT YOUR OWN RISK IF YOU CHOOSE TO BUY FROM THEM. MY UNCLE BOUGHT THIS INCUBATOR ON EBAY, NOT FROM THE SITE LISTED IN THE PIC

 

[mochicken]

OH forgot to add, I have had the incubator running for four days, it has used hardly any water yet maintains the 60% humidity +1 to -1 at all times, it also runs 37.5c so 99.5F at all times, it usually doesnt vary from that at all and if it does its a 1/10 of a degree.

I will try to post weekly updates until the last few days where I will post daily updates when I have time, with pics of course

 

[Cherstin]

Put the eggs point-down ... I'm starting 3 Mille Fleur d'Uccle eggs tomorrow, too! Best of luck on your hatch, and keep us posted!

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

60% sounds a little high - don't forget to weigh your eggs before you start incubating so you make sure they're losing moisture at the correct rate!

 

[mochicken]

From what I have read 60% was just right for chickens, the instructions say 50-70%. What do you guys run your humidity at?

 

[chics n more]

My Brinsea says 40-50% relative humidity for first 18 days.

 

[mochicken]

Do I lower the humidity by adding less water to the two trays on the bottom?

 

[Edwards' East of Eden]

Yeah - the main consensus I've seen on here is humidity in the 40s for the first 18, around 65% for lockdown. And decrease the surface area of the water in the trays to decrease the humidity.

But - at the same time, keep an eye on the egg weights to make sure you're losing enough water weight/not losing too much water weight in the eggs. That's your true tell.

 

[Cherstin]

I agree with the lower humidity. I have an automatic R-Com that I've used twice: once for bantams and once for guineas. Each time, I hatch about a day early. My humidity automatically starts off around 45%. I was concerned at first, but once I've seen how well it works, I'm a believer.

 

[mochicken]

Thanks folks, I pulled the water out of one of the channels and I will see if that keeps things any better