This is my first time hatching in an incubator. Last April 2010 I had a broody hen hatch out 11 of 15 eggs and then she sat on one of the chicks and crushed it. Then in July I had a broody hen hatch out 4 chicks. She originally started with 15 eggs but ended up with about 20 so that's why only 4 hatched. I left the top of the broody box open since it was so hot. When she took her poop break every morning, a different hen must have gone in and laid another egg in there!
I have an LG with fan and turner and I bought the digital thermometer/hygrometer to go with it. I put 12 BO eggs in 3/28 at noon. I had some ups and downs with the temp and the humidity was between 35 and 45%. I've added a wet sponge so now the humidity is up to 55-57% and the temp is steady between 99 and 100. It spiked to 101.1 twice but I just opened a vent to let some heat out and it went back to 99.9. I think I check the thing 100 times a day!!
I'll candle the eggs 4/4 and 4/11 then go into lockdown on 4/15 with a hatch day of 4/18.
I think it was easier letting my broody hens hatch the chicks! There was much less stress. We had an open air coop then so when the chicks hatched, I could hear them peeping from inside the house.
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