First time incubating. EGGS ARE SET! DAY 19, LOCKDOWNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

[Rainstorm]

10 mixed chicken eggs and 8 duck eggs and 12 more BEI's coming this week!

Temperature 100.6
Humidity 59 (hygro was about 5-7 off)


4:17am and I CANT SLEEP!!!! MUST.... CHECK.... INCUBATOR... AGAIN!.....

this isnt gonna go on the whole month is it? LOL
ok maybe im just being REALLLY paranoid but im worried something will go wrong

my humidity dropped to 54 (- 5-7) How far can it drop before I should really worry about it? I was told to keep it at around 50-55, then I read it can be in the 30's and above, and just not below 25. im confused on that someone please explain that

and my temp has been perfectly stable for the last 5 hours at about 100.0 - 100.8, cept right before I didnt noticed I left my ac on high and it went to 99.7 for about a half an hour, stuff like that wont hurt it till it?


and One of the duck eggs has a small crack in it, not all the way through just the shell part, can I still keep it in the incubator or is it useless now?


I didnt get to do a full calibrate check on the hygro because I didnt have the stuff to do with and didnt want to leave it out to long, I left it for about 2 hours and went by what it said, tomorrow when my temp in the room is most stable im going to do a full calibrate check



EDITTTTTT


I HEAR CHIRPINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG

 

[Rainstorm]

Day 1!

 

[Happy Chooks]

I'm a first timer too. Day 3 for me now.

My humidity has been holding steady at 38%. I researched and read 30-40%. But I have seen in some posts lately people saying they have theirs closer to 50.

My temperature has been pretty stable at 100.4-100.8. It's dipped down to 99.5 a few times, but mostly it's up. It must be okay, cuz mom gets off the eggs once a day, so they cool a bit under her, right?

Mines down a little lower right now, cuz I had to move the thermometer back on top of the eggs. Darn thing won't stay there. (the one that came with the bator) So I've been going with the other digital thermometer. At least they both read the same temps.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[silkielovr]

Are we anxious???? It may be too late now but....if you set the incubator up a day ahead of putting hte eggs in and got the temp set EXACTLY like the incubator manufacturer says......[all are different] then you should not have to touch it again.
Try to keep it out of drafts and a constantly changing room temp if you can.
If the incubator has a well for water, and all do I think, then fill it and keep it full [add warm water each time] and your humidity should remain around 50+
I keep a small squirt bottle on hand and fill with warm water and mist the eggs when I think they need it, and always just around hatching time.
I always have a very, very, good hatch rate so it must work.
Calm down, take a deep breath and relax, you are going to have wait a few days before candling them, remove the infertile or "clear" eggs and then just keep turning them, if by hand make sure you turn an odd number of times so they don't sit the same way each night.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
Oh be sure to quit turning the last couple days!

 

[Bornacentury2L8]

Congratulations, and good luck

You are a junky now..

 

[silkielovr]

Rainstorm, I think you are asking for trouble right off with mixing ducks and chicken eggs.
And you said that more eggs were coming soon?????
Please don't add the new eggs in with the ones all ready setting.
Chickens will hatch in 21 days, ducks in 28 and the new eggs will hatch 21 days after set, so you will have a BIG MESS and not a good hatch rate.
If you have two incubators you will be OK, about two days before the eggs should hatch remove them and put in separate incubator till they hatch, then REALLY clean it and put the next set in, and so forth.
Believe me you don't want to have them all in the same incubator hatching at different times.

 

[silkielovr]

OOOPS almost forgot....if you have a cracked or dented or egg that is not perfect, it most probably will never hatch, you can let it go for awhile and candle it but I am sure it is no good.

 

[Bornacentury2L8]

I tried that. Chickens and ducks in the same bator. HUGE mistake.

all the ducks died. I would definitely separate them before hatch day. Good luck again.

 

[silkielovr]

The two greatest problems with different hatching dates are that there is a huge amount of bacteria associated with hatching eggs and the other eggs can absorb it through their shells, and also the eggs need to be still the last couple days so the chicks can get into position to hatch, they need their beaks in the air pocket...if some hatch way ahead they will kick and push and bounce the other eggs around pretty hard.
It just never works! And you can't ADD eggs later, the temp will be all out of wack for too long before the new eggs get warmed up.

 

[neferset]

I actually haven't had any problem adding eggs in later so long as they start out at room temperature. I do have a turner though and can minimize the amount of times I open the bator. I also watch the temperature like a hawk.

But, yes, the best solution to this situation is to have a second incubator (or third) for a hatching bator. It's what I do most of the time. I might combine if they are one or two days apart, but that's about all. I've got ducks and chicks in the same bator presently, but they will hatch in different bators.

If you have turners, your cracked egg may stick to them, causing other problems. That's never fun. I wouldn't even set it.