First time incubating

[ShaneM]

Hello everyone. So this is my first time incubating eggs. I have decided to go with some americanuas. I had bought some as chicks 2 years ago but sadly lost them to a raccoon . So I found someone not far from home selling eggs this year so decided to give it a shot. I ordered an incubator off amazon. I put a hygrometer inside as well to compare the readings. Now what I'm noticing is the inside one is reading a lot lower then the temp unit on the incubator. Has anyone used this same incubator from amazon?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi there

Sorry to hear about your raccoon attack

I'm afraid these types of incubators are often wrong with their readings. If you know your thermometer and hygrometer that you added are correct I would go with them and not what the incubator is telling you.

 

[ShaneM]

Ok thanks. I kind of figured that is what I should do. Now that being said I'm in Canada so it's chilly out right now and even with the heat on in the house the temp seems to drop down to about 97-98 at night. Should I put the styrofoam it was packaged in back around the bottom to try and help keep the heat in?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

That sounds like a great idea

Have you set your eggs yet?

 

[ShaneM]

Yes they are in there already. On day 5. I put the styrofoam around it today and almost instantly it went went back up to temp and hasn't left .

Also another question for candle lighting the eggs, because they are blue will I still be able to see through them? Or should I wait a bit longer then you would a white egg?

 

[PD-Riverman]

Yes they are in there already. On day 5. I put the styrofoam around it today and almost instantly it went went back up to temp and hasn't left

.

Also another question for candle lighting the eggs, because they are blue will I still be able to see through them? Or should I wait a bit longer then you would a white egg?

I have hatched many Ameracuna's and ""I"" candle on day 12 and day 18. I can tell at day 12 if they are at the growth they need to be for day 12 eggs,

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yes they are in there already. On day 5. I put the styrofoam around it today and almost instantly it went went back up to temp and hasn't left .

Also another question for candle lighting the eggs, because they are blue will I still be able to see through them? Or should I wait a bit longer then you would a white egg?

That's great news that the styrofoam has got your temp stable again

I've not incubated blue eggs myself but have heard they can be difficult to candle. A good candler with a good seal to make sure all the light goes into the egg would be advisable.

 

[aart]

Pretty easy to accurately test your hygrometer:

To test a hygrometer you will need:
1/2 cup table salt
approximately 1/4 cup water
coffee cup
hygrometer
large re-sealable freezer bag
1. Place 1/2 cup of salt in the coffee cup, and add the water. Stir for a bit to totally saturate the salt (the salt won't dissolve, it will be more like really wet sand).

2. Place the salt/water mix in a re-sealable plastic bag, along with the hygrometer, and seal the bag. Note: make sure none of the salt/water mix comes in direct contact with the hygrometer.

3. Let this bag aside at room temperature for 8-12 hours, in a location where the temperature is fairly constant.

4. After 8-12 hours, check the reading of the hygrometer. It is best to read it while still in the bag.

The relative humidity in the sealed bag with the salt/water mix should be 75 percent

 

[jrose1970]

Good luck with your incubating. I have had my incubator going solid since last May and cannot grow tired of it. I believe it is a passion!
Here's a trick for the hatching phase that I actually have not tried but an older veteran told me: mist your eggs with a spray bottle when the are trying to hatch.
It keeps them from getting siran wrap around their head. LOL A very light mist I think he meant. I lose more eggs in the hatch phase than any other phase. Good luck!

 

[ShaneM]

So I did some candle lighting today and I can see vains inside the eggs. Out of 3 dozen I found 4 that didn't look good so I cracked them open and nothing was growing. Now I have one that I'm not sure about. I think it was growing but stopped. There's dark blotchy spot about centre of the egg. But no vains anywhere. I would assume that would mean that one was stopped? Also a couple that you can see the air pocket but other then that are all dark. Not sure what to think of those ones. Any opinions? Thanks everyone