First time hatching eggs....nervous

[janieschicks]

Hey, anyone else afraid their first time hatching eggs that you would do everything wrong? I'm using a hovabator and it says to not remove the cover but I have to remove it 3 times a day when I quickly turn my eggs. The temp drops about 10 degrees when I do this. Is that normal? Also i did not buy a moisture tester, is that a must have? I'm afraid I was to anxious to get started.

 

[Barry]

It is normal for the air temp to drop but the temp of the eggs would drop very little if you quickly open it to turn the eggs.
Measuring humidity is best, but hovabator instructions show you the sections of the tray to fill while setting and the additional section during the hatch. If your conditions are average, then it should work out ok.

 

[janieschicks]

Thank you so much! I feel much better. I'm gone about 8 hours a day but when I'm home i check the incubator constantly!

 

[newbiepeepkeeper]

I have a hovabator too, and am in the midst of my 1st hatch! Mine started cheeping yesterday and rockin a bit, then the miracle of hatching occurred last night! I was up until almost 2 a.m. watching the first 3 hatch! I was on BYC getting support as well

I was freaking out about temps and the turning too. The I was nervous they had been kept too high (101ish...I don't have a digital so it was approx).

Be of good cheer! I am on day 21 and have been hatching for almost 24 hours! Only 5 more eggs to go and everybody is doing fine. It was hardest watching them struggle out then look so underdeveloped at first. But as they dry out and fluff up they are adorable!

They work hard getting out so don't be freaked out by their "quiet time". One helpful person told me to stop lifting the lid on the bator! I did briefly to rearrange things and put a soft liner down so their little feet didn't get tangled in the wire mesh floor.

Happy Hatching!

 

[janieschicks]

Congrats on your hatch! Im only on day 3....this is going to be a long 3 weeks! I'm already trying to find a cool breed for my next hatch!