help me in incubating eggs

[cucu]

hello everyone!


As you know spring is about to come . So I want to incubate 48 eggs with my incubator (shown below)
I want someone to answer any of this Questions.

1.what temperature and humidity do I need for the first 18 days (especially the humidity) ?
2. how long should I keep my eggs before incubation?
3. the eggs are dirty. should I clean them?
4.what should I do If electricity goes off? how long can they survive without electricity?

thanks for answering

 

[AsbillPoultry]

1. Here's a helpful guide on temperature and humidity:
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
2.Up to 7 days old, but the fresher the better
3.don't clean the eggs. Mama chickens don't wash theirs, and still hatch.
4.our home is on a backup generator, so I'm not entirely sure how everyone handles this one. If the electricity does go off, do not open the lid and wrap up in a blanket or towel to insulate it. Hopefully the power isn't out that long.
I hope I have helped, and happy hatching!

 

[PD-Riverman]

hello everyone!


As you know spring is about to come . So I want to incubate 48 eggs with my incubator (shown below)
I want someone to answer any of this Questions.

1.what temperature and humidity do I need for the first 18 days (especially the humidity) ?
2. how long should I keep my eggs before incubation?
3. the eggs are dirty. should I clean them?
4.what should I do If electricity goes off? how long can they survive without electricity?

thanks for answering

Have you ever used this incubator? If you do not know if the temp and humidity meters are correct--I would for sure use another to compare with. Temp should be around 37.5c +/- a slight bit if this incubator has a fan. People have different opinions on humidity but I like around 35% for the first 18 days. I collect my eggs for a week but have went to 10 days at the most and do not clean or use really dirty eggs. I turn my eggs a couple times a day while I am collecting(tilt the whole carton).

As far as electricity, I have several different sources for electricity if the power goes out----a generator, a inverter hooked to my vehicle or my electric golf cart or my solar battery bank. But if you do not have a source of power---as soon as the electric goes off I would put a heavy guilt over the incubator, if the power does not come back on in a couple hours you can fill some 20oz bottles you have saved just for this purpose with about 100 degree(37.5C) hot/cold water and place 2 or 3 in the incubator----in a couple more hours if the temp is dropping again you can do it again with the warm water----if it still does not come back on I would head to a friends house that has electric with the incubator and eggs to get them going.

 

[cucu]

1. Here's a helpful guide on temperature and humidity:
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
2.Up to 7 days old, but the fresher the better
3.don't clean the eggs. Mama chickens don't wash theirs, and still hatch.
4.our home is on a backup generator, so I'm not entirely sure how everyone handles this one. If the electricity does go off, do not open the lid and wrap up in a blanket or towel to insulate it. Hopefully the power isn't out that long.
I hope I have helped, and happy hatching!

Thanks alot

 

[cucu]

Have you ever used this incubator? If you do not know if the temp and humidity meters are correct--I would for sure use another to compare with. Temp should be around 37.5c +/- a slight bit if this incubator has a fan. People have different opinions on humidity but I like around 35% for the first 18 days. I collect my eggs for a week but have went to 10 days at the most and do not clean or use really dirty eggs. I turn my eggs a couple times a day while I am collecting(tilt the whole carton).

As far as electricity, I have several different sources for electricity if the power goes out----a generator, a inverter hooked to my vehicle or my electric golf cart or my solar battery bank. But if you do not have a source of power---as soon as the electric goes off I would put a heavy guilt over the incubator, if the power does not come back on in a couple hours you can fill some 20oz bottles you have saved just for this purpose with about 100 degree(37.5C) hot/cold water and place 2 or 3 in the incubator----in a couple more hours if the temp is dropping again you can do it again with the warm water----if it still does not come back on I would head to a friends house that has electric with the incubator and eggs to get them going.

Have you ever used this incubator? If you do not know if the temp and humidity meters are correct--I would for sure use another to compare with. Temp should be around 37.5c +/- a slight bit if this incubator has a fan. People have different opinions on humidity but I like around 35% for the first 18 days. I collect my eggs for a week but have went to 10 days at the most and do not clean or use really dirty eggs. I turn my eggs a couple times a day while I am collecting(tilt the whole carton).

As far as electricity, I have several different sources for electricity if the power goes out----a generator, a inverter hooked to my vehicle or my electric golf cart or my solar battery bank. But if you do not have a source of power---as soon as the electric goes off I would put a heavy guilt over the incubator, if the power does not come back on in a couple hours you can fill some 20oz bottles you have saved just for this purpose with about 100 degree(37.5C) hot/cold water and place 2 or 3 in the incubator----in a couple more hours if the temp is dropping again you can do it again with the warm water----if it still does not come back on I would head to a friends house that has electric with the incubator and eggs to get them going.

Thanks for replying

I used it 2 months ago temperature was 37.8 - 38.5 early
Humidity was 65 and more
The result wasn't so good
12 out of 32 were hatched and two of them weren't able to walk...

 

[PD-Riverman]

Thanks for replying

I used it 2 months ago temperature was 37.8 - 38.5 early
Humidity was 65 and more
The result wasn't so good
12 out of 32 were hatched and two of them weren't able to walk...

Well 38.5 is to hot if it has a fan, 65% in my opinion is way to high for the first 18 days---that would be ok for the last 3 or even a little higher.

The question is did the eggs hatch on time---21 days or early or late----that will tell you if the temp was close or off.

 

[cucu]

Well 38.5 is to hot if it has a fan, 65% in my opinion is way to high for the first 18 days---that would be ok for the last 3 or even a little higher.

The question is did the eggs hatch on time---21 days or early or late----that will tell you if the temp was close or off.

Tthey hatched in 21-23 days

 

[PD-Riverman]

Tthey hatched in 21-23 days

With that info I feel your thermometer is a little off so """I"""(notice I said I) would bump the temp up about 1/2 a degree F(you figure what that is C) so the eggs hatch day 20/21 and I would lower the humidity to in the 30's% for the first 18 days then up to 65/75% the last 3.
I did not ask---that is if you start counting your days as 0 the day you put them in the incubator and day 1 will be 24 hrs after they have been in, day 2 48 hrs after put in, etc. (Example--So if you set them this morning at 10 am, tomorrow morning at 10 am will be day 1)

 

[cucu]

With that info I feel your thermometer is a little off so """I"""(notice I said I)  would bump the temp up about 1/2 a degree F(you figure what that is C) so the eggs hatch day 20/21 and I would lower the humidity to in the 30's% for the first 18 days then up to 65/75% the last 3.
I did not ask---that is if you start counting your days as 0 the day you put them in the incubator and day 1 will be 24 hrs after they have been in, day 2 48 hrs after put in, etc. (Example--So if you set them this morning at 10 am, tomorrow morning at 10 am will be day 1)

Thanks

a lot

 

[AmyLynn2374]

1. Here's a helpful guide on temperature and humidity:
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
2.Up to 7 days old, but the fresher the better
3.don't clean the eggs. Mama chickens don't wash theirs, and still hatch.
4.our home is on a backup generator, so I'm not entirely sure how everyone handles this one. If the electricity does go off, do not open the lid and wrap up in a blanket or towel to insulate it. Hopefully the power isn't out that long.
I hope I have helped, and happy hatching!

I was going to recommend the same link, lol and add http://hatching411.weebly.com/

Thanks for replying

I used it 2 months ago temperature was 37.8 - 38.5 early
Humidity was 65 and more
The result wasn't so good
12 out of 32 were hatched and two of them weren't able to walk...

65% humidity if the hygrometer is accurate, in my opinion, is way too high. I too use low humidity methods the first 17 days and aim for 30%. I highly recommend the method in the link that Asbillpoultry shared to help find the humidity that works for you and your eggs.

With that info I feel your thermometer is a little off so """I"""(notice I said I) would bump the temp up about 1/2 a degree F(you figure what that is C) so the eggs hatch day 20/21 and I would lower the humidity to in the 30's% for the first 18 days then up to 65/75% the last 3.
I did not ask---that is if you start counting your days as 0 the day you put them in the incubator and day 1 will be 24 hrs after they have been in, day 2 48 hrs after put in, etc. (Example--So if you set them this morning at 10 am, tomorrow morning at 10 am will be day 1)

Totally agree. If they were late running at "38.5" and were 2-3 days past hatch day, I'd say the thermometer is off. Even with still that is accurate temps. Unless you are counting the day that you set.

I will say that my nephew made the mistake of buying an incubator like that (Chinese knock off) and not only were the temps and humidity gages off, but the heater petered out very quickly and wouldn't hold temps, so I would double check temps and humidity first.