Help for a beginner

[Mklassen93]

Last October I had an unsuccessful batch of eggs. I believe it was due to a power outage. I am getting ready to try again. I would appreciate a step by step guide and checklist of what I need to do this right. I have an incubator with thermometer and just ordered a humidity meter. I do not have an automated Turner so how many times a day and how do I turn. The Incubator has a wire bottom so the eggs lay flat on their side. I do remember they need to be stored point down. I have one egg stored so far I just started collecting today. Should I do a float test to see if they are fertilized will that harm the embryo? I have a little bit of knowledge from last time but Id like a step by step guide as much information as possible if anyone is willing to help a beginner out
Thanks so so much in advance

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Float test won't tell you if they are fertile or not and it will eliminate the bloom possibly adding bacteria. I don't give the float test much stock and NEVER use it.

What kind of eggs are you setting, chicken? What type of incubator, still or forced air?

Best information I have seen on incubation...
https://www.hubbardbreeders.com/media/incubation_guideen__053407700_1525_26062017.pdf

Regarding turning... 3 times minimum, more is better... always an odd amount of times. I do 5. Place an X and O on opposite side of the eggs and make sure you roll back and forth. I put <------> between my X and O to make sure I am turning the right direction (back and forth) and not over and over.

I suggest running your bator completely dry and see where humidity sits before adding water. What color are your eggs and your current plan for temp and humidity? I like dry incubation. Adding your general location to your profile can help others to make the most relevant suggestions possible at a glance.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...h-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method.47694/

Adding small water bottles filled with water and sand can help stabilize and retain temp in the event of power outages.

Breeding stock nutrition can impact hatchability.

Good luck and happy hatching!

 

[Mklassen93]

Float test won't tell you if they are fertile or not and it will eliminate the bloom possibly adding bacteria. I don't give the float test much stock and NEVER use it.

What kind of eggs are you setting, chicken? What type of incubator, still or forced air?

Best information I have seen on incubation...
https://www.hubbardbreeders.com/media/incubation_guideen__053407700_1525_26062017.pdf

Regarding turning... 3 times minimum, more is better... always an odd amount of times. I do 5. Place an X and O on opposite side of the eggs and make sure you roll back and forth. I put <------> between my X and O to make sure I am turning the right direction (back and forth) and not over and over.

I suggest running your bator completely dry and see where humidity sits before adding water. What color are your eggs and your current plan for temp and humidity? I like dry incubation. Adding your general location to your profile can help others to make the most relevant suggestions possible at a glance.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...h-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method.47694/

Adding small water bottles filled with water and sand can help stabilize and retain temp in the event of power outages.

Breeding stock nutrition can impact hatchability.

Good luck and happy hatching!

Ok I will not do a float test. These are chicken eggs we have 5 hens and 1 rooster 3 lay brown eggs one lays blue and one lays a olive green! Im so new to this I don't know everything yet but want to learn. I will attach a picture of my incubator. I don't have a humidity meter yet but in going to get one today. Im in British Columbia. I will make a schedule for turning 5 times a day. I have a thermometer for temperature we did good on maintaining the temperature last time. I was going to start the Incubator today and practice with the humidity until I have collected all my eggs should be able to put them in the Incubator monday. I have them stored in an egg carton point down. I read I have to turn them while in the carton before incubation how do I do that if the pointed side is suppose to be down? Does running dry mean without any water in it? Should I clean the Incubator it's been sitting since last batch. Thanks so much for replying I really appreciate it

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Okay, that is still air incubator. Remove BOTH red plugs and temp should be set at 101.5 to 102 degrees. Make sure your thermometer is calibrated.

If the collected eggs will be stored for very long the way to turn them inside a carton is setting a thick book or whatever under one side of the egg carton and then swapping to the other side, back and forth. Some people even do it like that in the bator... but I got my best hatch rates hand turning.

When you are turning inside the bator... once daily moving the eggs to a different location (center outwards, or top to center, center to bottom and bottom to top.. what have you) helps to combat any temp variance and keep hatch frame tight instead of early and late hatchers. Temp should be measured at the top of the eggs... sitting on the floor will read cooler. It should also not be touching the shell as surface temp and ambient temp can register differently, some materials feel hotter or cooler even though they are the same. I have that same bator. I use blankets on the outside to help stabilize temp as room fluctuations do effect it... but my house was simply too cold for it to reach temp even when cranked all the way up. Always make sure not to block the air holes on top or bottom.

Starting today will be good. It gives time for the bator to stabilize and show any spike or drops. Humidity will go up some once you add eggs... depending on how many are added.

I personally only wipe out my bator with a damp paper towel. But if you had a bunch of hatch debris then yes it would be a good ideal to clean it up.

Running dry *can* mean without any water... that kind of depends on your ambient humidity... here mine is around 80%+ so even with no water I still run at 25% or more. Since your eggs aren't white (lighter pigment layer means more porous shell), I would aim to be around but not above 45%... as low as 25% through day 18 and raise to 65-70% for hatch. But weighing your eggs can give you a really good clue to how you are doing..

Your ambient humidity will effect how many well you need to fill to achieve your internal incubator humidity. The drier you are you might need to add some water. There is room for some fluctuation, unlike temp which is quickly the difference between life and death.

Great expectations!

 

[Mklassen93]

Okay thanks so much for everything this is do helpful! How do I add water last time we used a waterknw can and put it in the little groves at the bottom. shlsho I put something in there to sit the thermometer on? And opening to turn will that be bad for the temperature and what about canceling them? Taking them out to candle how should that be done? I don't think im going to run dry I don't know enough about my environment. How should I clean my incubator I read with a tiny bit of bleach? What about the coils just leave them be?
Thank you again I hope you don't mind answering all my questions lol