Hi Scott ,I have Brinsea mini. I just put in the eegs and water .leave every thing else as it come out of the box. Got Six from seven eegs ( one not fertile )Not so new to BYC but first time we have used a incubator. Actually our first attempt at hatching was using a broody hen. With her, in a cage in the house due to high temps, we set 14 eggs and 2 were crushed on day 2. On candling at day 16 we had movement in every egg. 6 hatched by day 22. None after that and we had to help 2. We decided based on the membrane under the shell that we had a huge humidity issue that led to local eggs being a 50% hatch. 2 days later our young ameraucana splash hen went broody and I decided quickly that although temps dropped we had to get a incubator cause I did not trust this hen.
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So we purchased a Brinsea ovation 28EX. I currently have it at 99.5-99.6. Relative humidity was at 27% this morning with no water hooked up and the port on the lid all the way open. I hooked water up tonight and humidity went up to 50%. I have it set to 45% currently. I opened the port back after hooking up the water and watching it add some water. Ill see if I can run it with vent open and lower humidity down a little over the next 24 hours.
The eggs we have to start are 14 Silkie eggs from New York and 11 Brahma eggs from Florida. They came in this morning and we are planning to have a steady incubator to add the eggs to tomorrow. I have read a lot on brinsea website and here. The more I read the more confusing it all seems. Some like this and some swear by that. Any and all pointers as we get started here would be much appreciated.
Thanks
Scott