First time hatching!!!!!!!!!!!! HEEELLLLLPPPPP

[juelz1380]

so i got the reptipro 5000... my first fertile eggs, cochins and frizzles came this morning in the mail... what temp should i have the incubator set at? how long will it take to hatch and what is "lock down" ?

 

[galanie]

First, let them set big end up in an egg carton at room temp while you read up on the rest of it. That incubator should be at 99.5. Start it now, right after setting the eggs out to rest and get to reading

There is a sticky at the top of this forum and a "Learning Center" link at the top of the page that will help you out until others give more details. You have hours and hours until you have to do anything more with the eggs.

 

[gryeyes]

Chicken egg incubation is approximately 21 days. It can take longer if temps In the incubator are low, or less time if the temps are too high. A little bit too high; really too high or too low will kill the embryo.

Forced air incubators need temp of 99.5, I think still air incubators need 100.5.

Unpack your eggs and set them in an egg carton, with one end propped up. At least three times today, tilt it so it's propped up at the other end. Alternating. Get your incubator set up and with stable temp and humidity, the latter generally around 40-50%.

Tomorrow, set the eggs in the incubator. If you do not have an automatic turner, you will need to turn those eggs, or tilt them, at least 3 times a day, more if you can. For 18 days.

On the 19th day, stop turning/tilting, raise the humidity to between 60 and 70%, and sit on your hands until the eggs hatch. This is the lockdown period - don't mess with the eggs!

Those are the basics. Happy hatching!

 

[pnp4kidz]

Hmmm... I always turned mine over, not end over end, but side to side...
I thought you always kept the fat end up, so the air sac stayed where it's supposed to be...
when I use the turner, it tilts side to side with the fat end up all the time...
am I doing something wrong?

 

[Pascal PicklePants]

Quote:
Yep that's right, side to side with big end up.

or if turning by had X on one side O on the other and just turn'em

 

[gryeyes]

The tilt method IS side to side, not end over end. Egg innards slide to one side, then to the other when the other end of the carton is raised. Some folks lay eggs flat, well, as flat as they can be on their sides.... And roll them sideways. Either way works - this is just so the membrane does not sit too long against the porous shell and get stuck there, and the air cell stays at the big end, if possible.

 

[juelz1380]

thank you!!!!!

 

[juelz1380]

ON THE 19TH DAy should i unplug the turner?

 

[juelz1380]

in the incubator, the eggs should be big side up?

 

[galanie]

Yes and yes