First time incubating....

[chickenlady81]

Hello All, This is my first time incubating eggs and they just arrived today. I have a still air bator and the temp seems to be staying at the 98-100 mark. I havent found a thermometer that reads humidity yet so going out tomorrow to look for one. I check the hardware store today and nothing. I am using the thermo. that came with the bator. It seems hard to know if its at 99.5 because it only measures 98, 100 degree's. How much longer should I wait to put the eggs in the bator? Should I add a little water to it? I heard as long as it doesnt go below 25% in humitdity I should be ok. Thanks in advance!

 

[timbofarms]

go to walmart hardware department get temp/humidity guage $7. with that u can tune in 99.5 degrees and get a wet sponge in bowl if it will fit and stablize humidity at 55%. if humidity gets`to high cover bowl alittle at a time with aluminum foil untill the humidity reaches proper level. If you have small coolin fan from a cpu of a computer hook it up in it to distribute temp and humidity evenly in the bator. this is some things i have experimented with. i hope this helps.

 

[77horses]

Congrats! I'm glad you got some eggs.

Did they arrive safely with no breaks? I hope so!

anyway, I wouldn't mess with hum. right now until you get a hum. gauge.
Have you ever heard of "dry incubating"? Everyone that has done it say it has made their hatch rate go up.

What you do is add NO water, unless it goes down to 25%. Then you add just a table spoon (or around there) of water, and that will make it higher. Then, at hatching time(three days before expected hatch date) add more water to make hum. go up to 50-65%. This helps because a lot of people make the mistake of having hum. in the 50's range through out incubation, and that makes more water inside the egg. Then the chick can drown.

And some people make the mistake of adding too less water and making hum. too low, so the chick will get stuck to the membrane and won't be able to pip. So, try keeping it in the 30-40% range until three days before hatch date. Then make it up to 50-60%.(But get a hum. gauge as soon as possible!)

Good luck!

 

[chickenlady81]

Yes I got nine SLW eggs and all are intact and looking good.
Im going to go out to wallly world tomorrow for sure!
I just read with foam bators you should keep the temp closer to 101 for still air?

 

[timbofarms]

good luck with it. Keep us posted.

 

[chickenlady81]

Quote:
Thanks! I sure will...I hope I get some that hatch

 

[hinkjc]

Good luck with your hatch! You're going to really enjoy the SLW..they are so beautiful.

101-102 for still air

Jody

 

[77horses]

I am also making a styro-bator!

Bought an ice chest at wal-mart today!(and if you're wondering about where I found it, it was over near the ice machine, where they sell those bags of ice. And I got it for about $5.50)
Yes, hinkjc is right. 101-102* F. for still air bators (a.k.a bators without a fan that circulates the air flow in the bator.)

 

[chickenlady81]

Ok im going to make the adjustment. My hubby might go out tonight to get them the thermometer and humity reader..lol whatever its called. LOL
I have always loved the SLW.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I would be careful using the one that came with the bator. The one I had was at least 2 degrees low. But since it only shows 98&100, aim more for 100. I would wait to put eggs in the bator until after you get to walmart, like timbo said, and get a thermometer/hygrometer, calibrate it, and then leave it in the bator for at least a day, to make sure the bator is holding temps. There are some that use the dry incubation method that have success with it. My first two hatches ran around 35-40% for the first 18 days, then most of the first batch chicks hatched on day 19!! So lower is not that bad, for some. I would probably add some water. What kind of bator do you have? I have a still air LG incubator, and with my hatches the temps were around 100-101 the whole time, and they still hatched early, so I personally don't agree with the 'keep still air at 101' theory. The instructions that came with mine said to keep it at 99.5, and that works good. You could also go to Radio Shack, or some other electronics store, and get a small computer fan to 'rig up' in your incubator. I actually got one for mine off eBay for $3, with free shipping. I cut the connector off, and used a cord from a cordless phone to wire it up and plug it into the wall.