First Time Incubating!

[sillycmoy]

First time incubating, and I just added the eggs after almost 3 days of setting up. So very excited and scared that I will screw something up. I have the cheap-o LG from the feed store, the only one they had. If I decide I'm going to hatch again, I might get a better one in the spring when they have more options. Anyways….

Quick question, when do I want to start to hand turn? I was told to ignore it for the first 2 days, just make sure it doesn't spike up higher then 102 or lower then 98. But when do I need to start to hand turn?

 

[1876 Farm]

How many eggs are you incubating? Perhaps a 2 day wait was recommended because if you had a full incubator, it might take time for the temperature to get up to the desired temp and each time you open it, it has to heat back up.

I personally would start turning them the same day as you put them in the incubator. They say to mark a side (or both, 1 with an X and 1 with a 0) with a pencil, turn an odd number of times each day.. you want a different side to be up each night. Stop turning 3 days before they are suppose to hatch.

What are you hatching?

 

[sillycmoy]

I'm only doing 14, and they are marked with an X and an O. They are currently all on the O position. I just didn't know when I should start turning them.

And they are various chicken eggs.

 

[sillycmoy]

Well its now day 3, and I them has stayed regulated. So happy about that, I was worried about that the most with this cheap incubator. The only thing I'm fighting is the humidity. I will add water to a sponge, and the tubes all have water. I will get it up to around 30-33% and then in a few hours its back down to 23-25%. Its driving me nuts.

Other then that everything is going great! I can't wait till Thursday to candle them to see if anything is even forming. I really hate this waiting game. I'm too excited!

 

[1876 Farm]

Well its now day 3, and I them has stayed regulated. So happy about that, I was worried about that the most with this cheap incubator. The only thing I'm fighting is the humidity. I will add water to a sponge, and the tubes all have water. I will get it up to around 30-33% and then in a few hours its back down to 23-25%. Its driving me nuts.

Other then that everything is going great! I can't wait till Thursday to candle them to see if anything is even forming. I really hate this waiting game. I'm too excited!

I agree, it's hard waiting. Over the last 2 years I have incubated guinea eggs and have used a brody hen to hatch chicken eggs. I was mentioning to my husband that I can't wait for a brody hen this spring and he said I should incubate them... since it's fun to watch them hatch. Keep up posted on how things go and if you can, post some pictures or your eggs and then as the chicks hatch. Good luck!!