First-time hatcher ?? about bator

[livin-green]

I am expecting my eggs to arrive on Thur or Fri morning, and I am trying frantically to figure out my incubator. I just purchased the basic LG with auto. egg turner but no circulated air fan. I've had it running for about 4 hours, and I was having the hardest time stablizing the temp...we won't even get into the humidity part, yet. I started thinking, I wish I had found a fan kit, when it crossed my mind that I have a dual air-pump for an aquarium that is not in use. I ran my tubing from the pump to the bator--one tube to each middle air hole
on the side where the fan would be installed. I've been checking the temp. for the past hour or so, and it seems to be staying dead-on. Do you think this will work okay?

Most importantly--another question regarding this alternate air circulation is that there is a light vibration transferring from the pump through the tubing to the bator. Do you think this vibration will cause any problems with the egg development/hatching?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
It's unlikely that your pump will deliver sufficient air, in an even pattern, to be effective.

You can achieve excellent results with a still-air incubator though. The temperature should be around 101F at the top of the eggs, the manual has all the details.

The problem with using alternate methods before you master the basics is that you will never know if your method helped, should they all hatch, nor will you know if your method harmed the eggs if they fail to hatch.

Just as important, neither will we, so we won't be able to help much.

Read the manual, do as it says and you should have good results.

 

[livin-green]

Thanks for responding!!

Now, I'm a bit confused since several other threads suggested throwing the manual out!

I completely understand mastering the basics, thus the past week+ of research into incubation and hatching. I have read the manual that came with the LG....several times. I did exactly what it said and could not get a stable temp. until I added the air. Now the temp. has been dead-on stable at both the wire mesh level and ~3" above that for about 11 hours. I have one air plug in and one out.

Do you think this indicates that it is circulating well enough?

My eggs arrived today

, and I want to set them Saturday, so I need to get any kinks worked out pretty quick.

 

[gabrielle1976]

I think that if you really feel temps are stable then go for it but I dont have a bator so I reallly cant give advice. I am curious though if you got shipped eggs especally why you would wait another few days to set them. I thought the longer you waited with hatching eggs the more likely you would get less viable eggs . but again I am new .

 

[livin-green]

With shipped eggs, you should always wait at least 24 hours before incubating to allow the egg to "settle" (that's what I'm calling it). From my research, I gather that you have no idea how shook-up they may have gotten, so this allows everything to settle back into place, so to speak, and make sure the air sac is properly positioned at the top, etc., Plus, I think it helps even out internal egg temp.

I also checked with the breeder I ordered from to see if I could wait until Saturday, so that I will hopefully have a Saturday hatch. She said they were super fresh--collected the day she shipped, I believe--so it would be no problem to wait (even until early next week). Of course, you need to make sure that they are properly "stored" until you're ready to incubate. Again, my research indicated that you've got a good 7-day window before you start losing viability.

But, like you said--I'm new to this, so I'm hoping all my research pays off.

 

[gabrielle1976]

Thank you for helping me learn, I spend so long on this forum everyday my sister says Im obssed. I want to learn as much as a possibly can. I will be building or buying an incubator in the next day or so and am hopeing to set eggs by friday night or saterday morning next week.
I have had offers of fertel banty eggs and fertel mixed breed eggs and I want to do that the first time or two as I get the feel for hatching and a feel for my bator. But after that I really want to hatch some silkies and will have to deal with shipped eggs.Thanks agian every question answerd is a step closer to the culmanation of a life long dream of mine .

 

[twigg]

Quote:
It would be better to add a PC 4" fan .... they are very cheap and use a simple power adaptor. Pretty much what LG gives you in the $40 upgrade kit.

 

[livin-green]

Quote:
When you say "PC" fan, you are talking about a computer, right? I'm so not-up-to-speed on some of the chicken terminology that I want to make sure! We actually have an old PC that we could swipe the fan from....

Didn't even think of that. Thanks!

 

[twigg]

Quote:
When you say "PC" fan, you are talking about a computer, right? I'm so not-up-to-speed on some of the chicken terminology that I want to make sure! We actually have an old PC that we could swipe the fan from....

Didn't even think of that. Thanks!

Yes, that's what I meant

 

[livin-green]

Great! Thanks for the tip--I'm sure hubby can help me get that rigged up. Wish me luck!