Hatch-Along - Setting eggs this weekend (Jan5/6) WHOS WITH ME!

[aka Rachel]

Last night and this morning our humidity had been jumpy...

I think that small of a variance in your humidity shouldn't be any cause for concern really, its actually just about perfect! Mine is extremely low because we heat with wood. I've been trying to stay on top of adding to the pot of water on top of the stove to help a little. My lips thank me at least

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

I think that small of a variance in your humidity shouldn't be any cause for concern really, its actually just about perfect! Mine is extremely low because we heat with wood. I've been trying to stay on top of adding to the pot of water on top of the stove to help a little. My lips thank me at least

I also have my incubator in the living room heated with a wood stove. We keep a pot of water on top too. I actually like having my incubator in a dry room. It's easier to get the humidity up by adding water, than it is to get it down if you live in a wet climate like we do.

My humidity hovers between 30-40. When it drops below 30, I add more water, and get it up to about 45%. I only do that about once every 5 days or so. When I candle, I look to make sure the air cell isn't getting too big too fast. If I think it is, I raise the humidity a little bit.

 

[Outrun Acres]

We are using this one too! We got our temps to steady at 100. The problem we are having is the humidity is fluctuating from 33% to 38% I hope this isn't going to cause problems...

I'm glad there are a few of us using this incubator! Where are you taking your temperature? (Bottom by the screen, on top of the egg, etc.) We have turner and I tried to get it to 100 or 99 and have placed the thermometers sensor right on top of the turner. My humidity has stayed fairly steady at around 40%. We are going to try a dry incubation and then add water to increase humidity on day 18. Do you have a wood stove or a pellet stove? That could increase/decrease humidity (or so I have heard) is the incubator is in the same room. Have you already set your eggs? How many and what breeds are you trying to hatch?

 

[Peggy-Sue]

We have ours right in the middle with the eggs around it its one of those temp and humidity things and sits about as high as the eggs

 

[Kunjun]

I'm glad somebody else is hatching with the Little Giant too! This is our first time ever incubating eggs. I am worried about using this incubator. The temp really seems to fluctuate based on the temp in the room. I have been waiting until tonight to set my eggs to try to make sure the temperature has been stable for awhile. A couple people on here recommended that I look at ChookChicks incubation cheat sheet, it has given me a lot of good ideas. It will be fun to compare notes during this hatch-a-long . We are big time beginners here. How have your hatch rates been with your LG LovMyRoo?

This is the first time I've incubated eggs - and using the LG.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/601352/little-giant-incubator-tricks

I thought this was a very useful thread, especially for first timers using the LG.

I set the temp in my house to 72 (I live in south Florida so I'm all bundled up!) and changed the temp in the LG to 101 since I don't have a fan. It has consistently kept the temp. I've also kept the bator in a closet with the door closed. Thank goodness I calibrated the hygrometer before I put the eggs in because it was off by 6 degrees. Right now it all seems go be going rather swimmingly which makes me 2nd guess myself that I must have overlooked something somewhere!

 

[Outrun Acres]

This is the first time I've incubated eggs - and using the LG.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/601352/little-giant-incubator-tricks
I thought this was a very useful thread, especially for first timers using the LG.
I set the temp in my house to 72 (I live in south Florida so I'm all bundled up!) and changed the temp in the LG to 101 since I don't have a fan. It has consistently kept the temp. I've also kept the bator in a closet with the door closed. Thank goodness I calibrated the hygrometer before I put the eggs in because it was off by 6 degrees. Right now it all seems go be going rather swimmingly which makes me 2nd guess myself that I must have overlooked something somewhere!

I have made it about halfway through that thread right now. So far, I have found it very informative. I think once we manage to maitain the temperature in the room where the incubator is we will be ready to set eggs. The floor of the incubator by the screen in reading 99 degrees consistantly. I am following ChookChicks incubation cheat sheet. I should find the link and post it here. That member says to try to get the temp at the top of the eggs to 102. Florida sounds nice right about now. We live in Northwest Arkansas and it has been pretty chilly. Today is the warmest day we have had in a long time and the high is supposed to be 46! I am very interested to hear about the different results in hatch percentages from people using these incubators. Our you incubating shipped eggs or using your own?

 

[BroosterSpringsteen]

ChooksChicks cheat sheet is a great resource. A lot of folks on here have had great hatches using it.

I live in the mountains. It's very cold in the winter, and mild in the summer. Our average humidity year round is 78%. My house is 100 years old and drafty. In the winter we heat with the wood stove, and it's pretty dry. But the rest of the year our windows (and sometimes doors) are wide open, so that humidity comes indoors. It's trickier for me to incubate during the warm months for that reason, although my Brinsea seems to be much better at regulating humidity than my old Hovabator. With the Hovabator I always used the dry incubation method.

 

[TweetyNPetey]

Im getting my shipped eggs hopefully by Sat and Im going to set them on Sunday January 6th. Anyone else want to join me?

I set eggs today (Jan. 7th) i will fall a day behind, but who cares? what breed are u guys hatching? i have seramas and frizzled seramas (frizzle+serama=frizzled serama)

 

[FeyRaine]

I'm doing Mixed hatch -- Chicken & Duck eggs-- & I have some questions...
if anyone here can answer or point me to some links it would help.

I know normally, ppl put the duck eggs in then add the chicken eggs later so they all lockdown & hatch together,
BUT I got all the eggs together and did not want the chicken eggs to sit around a week waiting so now in my bator are:

6 green EE chicken eggs hatch day 21
5 choc. Maran chicken eggs hatch day 21-25 (my NYDH maran hatched late on the 23 day for reference)
7 WH Duck eggs hatch day 28

So, I have 2 weeks to figure out a plan & 4 days to implement the plan of how to handle my lockdown/hatch!

Option #1 -- Build another incubator/hatcher to move chicken eggs into at 21 days , well DH not so thrilled I've set more eggs after the NYDH fiasco so trying to not have to go there on this.

Option #2 -- ??_help?? I have no other ideas...

Option #3 -- Leave them together, lockdown at day 18 , keep humidity over 70% when I pull out chicken chicks & hope for the best...??Is that a reasonable thing to do?

All advice and creative ideas for a middle ground (Option #2) very welcome, & Thanks!

 

[chicken pickin]

I set eggs today (Jan. 7th) i will fall a day behind, but who cares? what breed are u guys hatching? i have seramas and frizzled seramas (frizzle+serama=frizzled serama)

A day late is fine We arent picky lol. I believe we have a few who set early also. Im Hatching Olive Eggers and Easter Eggers.