Help with incubating peacock eggs...first time with incubating..

[sfogle]

Hello, I am needing some advice on incubating 5 peacock eggs that were given to me. We were hoping that one of our broody hens would sit on them...but she did not. I went and purchased an LG incubator...despite all the negative comments on them. It is the only brand our local farm store had...and I didn't want to have to wait on a hova bator to come in the mail. Now...is it worth it to order one of those brands in the meantime....I can always take my LG back....I just needed something to get started. If I keep the LG, is it worth buying the air circulating kit? And if so, can I put the eggs in the incubator now without the fan and then put the fan in when it comes in the mail or will that disrupt the eggs? On the automatic turners...I really wanted to purchase the one that goes along with the LG but had read that it was too small for a large egg such as a goose or turkey and I assume peacock eggs are about the same size. The Hova Bator brand sells a seperate peacock/goose egg turner...but it is rather expensive and I am wondering whether it is really worth it.

If I decide to keep the LG and try it....I think I will get the fan kit based on what I have read. If the turner will not work for this size of egg, how many times a day to I turn the eggs manually and are there any special handling techniques in order to keep the eggs from getting messed up. I know they say to keep everything clean as not to introduce any bacteria in the environment. Also...on the temp. and humidity....what would be a good set temp./humidity levels for these type of eggs. It came with a basic therm....but I plan on buying one that shows both temp. and humididty...seems like a good investment.

Anything else that anyone can add or provided me with that might help me to get these peacock eggs to hatch, would be greatly appreciated. We have turkeys and chickens but have never dealt with any other type of birds. And we have always let our hens sit on their own eggs...never done the incubating thing ourselves.

Thanks so much!

 

[C&Rman]

The tempature is the same as chicken 99-100 degrees F, maintain the humidity at 60%, you should at least turn the eggs 3 times a day but the more the better. With peacock eggs turning them 5 times a day will increase your hatch rate. I would recomend a Brinsea 20 Eco incubator they work great and you don't have to turn each egg just the incubator its self, they are cheaper then a Hovabator and in my opinion they are allot better too.

 

[cmom]

I have an LG and have had very good hatches. The only problem I have had with the LG is getting the humidity up during lock down, so I put a wet sponge in which helps. I definitely would put a fan in it. With a still air incubator there are warm and cool spots. With the fan it keeps the heat more circulated.

If you are going to hand turn the eggs I would turn them around 7am, 3pm and 11pm. Also I would put an X on one side of the egg and an O on the other side of the egg and always turn the eggs in the same direction so that at 7am all of the X's are up, at 3pm the O's are up and 11pm the X's are up. Then the opposite the next day. Just my suggestions. Here are a couple of pictures a friend of mine took to illustrate.

 

[cmom]

Another tip on controlling the humidity on LGs. This works for me. I fill the reservoirs in the bottom of the incubator but I also add a wet sponge at lock down. I use a half pint mason jar with a sponge. The sponge wicks the water and my humidity stays around 60% to 70%.

 

[flgardengirl]

That's a good idea cmom. I use LGs too.

 

[cmom]

I am hatching Ringneck Pheasants right now in my LG.

 

[flgardengirl]

How cute!! My dh would be jealous of your ringnecks. Do you use them for hunting or just eat them or sell them?

I have two LGs that I added computer fans to. One has a turner and one doesn't. I usually use the one without the turner for a hatcher. They are pretty tricky to get used to, but once you do they are fairly easy. I've had great hatches in the LGs from my own eggs. Shipped eggs vary of course. I would like to make my own incubator next.