First time incubating bantam eggs

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

This is my first time incubating eggs in a Janoel-10 incubator. I have never done this and dont know where to start. I have got the incubator started and working but i was wondering if anyone had a good routine on what to do eg. rotating them and humidity ext. any help would be much appretiated. X

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

First I would say give this a read ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-beginners-guide-to-incubation.73350/
Lots of super info in there.

Double check your temperature with another thermometer. Don’t trust the incubator.

Does your incubator have a turner or are you hand turning? Hand turning needs to be done at 3x per day but 5x is better. Always an odd number so the eggs are on a different side over night. Mark the eggs with an X on one side and O on the other so you know you have turned them in a different position.

Humidity depends on many factors. 45% day to 1-18 suits my home but maybe not yours so you will need to monitor air cell growth. Article here ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubation-humidity.73386/

Other reading here too on incubation that’s super helpful ~
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/categories/hatching-eggs-raising-chickens.22/

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

Thank you so much that is really helpful, i will definitely give this a read!
another question, one of the eggs i have just collected has a very small crack in it, only the very top it hasn’t gone down to the actual yolk and egg white but i am still wondering whether i should incubate it

 

[mcdze]

id rotate them morning noon and evening if its not auto, just gently flip them .. put a small digital thermometer in two spots .. humidity i dont worry about too much, i keep water present, mm id say 1/10th of the bottom surface or use a lid etc, replenish when it dries out .. anywhere from 40-80% doesnt wirry me one bit .. temp though you want as even and stable as possible .. i shoot for 99.5, but its usually a compromise of ambient fluctuation affecting it and end to end variation inside .. if its between 99 and 100.5 im very comfortable theyre baking up just right ...

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

@Yorkshire Coop you seem to know your stuff, would you mind checking out my other post it is under the diseases part and it should be in recent threads thanks x

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I’ve just had a quick look. I’m more of an incubation person rather than disease and I’m sure others will be along soon on that thread but in the meantime is that lump hard or soft? Did it come up quickly? Does she have any other symptoms or is under the weather?

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

I’ve just had a quick look. I’m more of an incubation person rather than disease and I’m sure others will be along soon on that thread but in the meantime is that lump hard or soft? Did it come up quickly? Does she have any other symptoms or is under the weather?

she seems to perfectly fine i was on holiday last week so im not sure, only just got her back today when i last saw her, last week, there was no sign of this at all so it has developed over a week the lump is soft and just feels like normal skin

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

My first thought would be possible sinus respiratory infection but they usually come up between the eyes and beak. Then again it could be a cyst/fatty lump. Or another thing could be something has got stuck in there and it’s swollen around it. I will tag a couple of members on your thread for you.

 

[Firsttimechicksxxx]

thank you so much

 

[Ridgerunner]

one of the eggs i have just collected has a very small crack in it,

I would not incubate that egg. That crack gives an opening that bacteria can get inside the egg. If bacteria gets inside it will ruin that egg and could threaten your entire hatch.

Also, during incubation the moisture in the egg needs to drop through the porous shell. It's quite possible that crack will allow too much moisture to be lost which is not good for incubation.

If the egg is valuable to you people sometimes melt candle wax to seal that crack. That often works. Just sniff the egg and if you smell the rotten egg smell carefully get rid of it.