Harris Farms Nurture Right 360 Incubator is AMAZING!

[CluckNDoodle]

Day 14 and I see little duck feet! So sweet! But I’m a little worried about the air cells. They seem to be small for day 14.
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So cute! After you spray the eggs are you allowing the water to evaporate completely before putting them back in the incubator? That it what will increase weight loss when doing the spraying method.

 

[BenlynFarm]

So cute! After you spray the eggs are you allowing the water to evaporate completely before putting them back in the incubator? That it what will increase weight loss when doing the spraying method.

Yes, I spray them all over and let it evaporate before putting the lid back on. Usually I take them out while doing it. Is misting once a day enough?

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Yes, I spray them all over and let it evaporate before putting the lid back on. Usually I take them out while doing it. Is misting once a day enough?

Yes, misting once a day should be plenty. I just wanted to make sure. Sometimes the air cells progress at different rates. I usually incubate with the humidity around 45% for the beginning of incubation in my NR360s. What is your humidity at?

 

[BenlynFarm]

Yes, misting once a day should be plenty. I just wanted to make sure. Sometimes the air cells progress at different rates. I usually incubate with the humidity around 45% for the beginning of incubation in my NR360s. What is your humidity at?

I was running it at 55% after reading so many doing duck eggs said it needed to be higher, everything said 55-65. But I’m letting it lower now, it’s 48 currently. The vent is a quarter of the way open.

 

[BenlynFarm]

Feeeeeeet!

Ahem. Sorry.

Hahaha I did the same thing. I hollered at my husband, who was trying to work in the next room over, and told him to HURRY and come look

 

[CluckNDoodle]

I was running it at 55% after reading so many doing duck eggs said it needed to be higher, everything said 55-65. But I’m letting it lower now, it’s 48 currently. The vent is a quarter of the way open.

Humidity is a tool that allows the eggs to lose the optimal amount of weight. I find that this varies based on the type of incubator you're using, where you're located, and even where you keep the incubator. For example, at higher elevations in the mountains, the gas exchange in the egg actually behaves differently than those of us down here, lol. (that's what causes mountain sickness when mountain climbing in people too, but I digress, I'm rambling again )

To simplify it as you're learning what to look for, you really only need to focus on lowering slightly if you feel the air cell isn't developing fast enough or elevating slightly if it's developing too fast. With that said I personally have found that in all the incubators I've used I start running into other issues if it's ever below 35% or above 55% in the beginning of incubation for extended periods of time (short drops or spurts don't affect anything).

These are just basic guidelines and "best practices" that I have found work well for me. That's not to say I didn't still hatch chicks when experimenting but I did have more chicks that required assistance for one reason or another when going outside of that range. I hope that helps!

 

[BenlynFarm]

Humidity is a tool that allows the eggs to lose the optimal amount of weight. I find that this varies based on the type of incubator you're using, where you're located, and even where you keep the incubator. For example, at higher elevations in the mountains, the gas exchange in the egg actually behaves differently than those of us down here, lol. (that's what causes mountain sickness when mountain climbing in people too, but I digress, I'm rambling again )

To simplify it as you're learning what to look for, you really only need to focus on lowering slightly if you feel the air cell isn't developing fast enough or elevating slightly if it's developing too fast. With that said I personally have found that in all the incubators I've used I start running into other issues if it's ever below 35% or above 55% in the beginning of incubation for extended periods of time (short drops or spurts don't affect anything).

These are just basic guidelines and "best practices" that I have found work well for me. That's not to say I didn't still hatch chicks when experimenting but I did have more chicks that required assistance for one reason or another when going outside of that range. I hope that helps!

Yes it helps! Thank you!! I think on the next round of duck eggs, I’ll try starting out at 45% like I did with the chicken eggs and see how they do at that. I guess I need to be writing down everything on this hatch to compare. So far though, the 7 out of 8 seem to be doing great other than the air cells just not changing much. Hopefully a lower humidity will help them these last two weeks.

 

[Magic man]

bad

Can someone help me with a ? On anyone know where I can get me a heating element for my incubator

 

[Magic man]

YAY! Im so happy I found this! I just ordered mine yesterday to be here Tuesday! Im so excited now to use it and will be putting in 22 silkies. I just did a hatch with 12 lost 3 in early development, lost 3 again at hatch and have 6 chicks 1 with a crooked neck from bad placement in its egg. I'm very new to hatching and the incubator I was using I manually turned them and it would range in temp and humidity all the time. So I'm so excited to see how this round goes with my 360!! Heres my 6 fluffybutts!
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Looks good good luck

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Can someone help me with a ? On anyone know where I can get me a heating element for my incubator

I haven't needed to replace mine yet so I'm not positive but I would check ebay or maybe incubator warehouse if nobody knows for certain.