help with new bator.... new at bators

[ro.netcmarie]

i have a hovaboator1602N set it up now, but want to know all the basics so i don't screww up the hatch. wanting to hatch duck eggs. what's the temp suppose to be????? the humidity??? have a digital temp/humd gauge as well as the temp gauge it comes with. it is suppose to go ontop of the eggs. have the digital next to them. do i let them hatch in the bator or transfer them to a hatcher??? please help. if anybody can give me all the help to a sucessful hatch with this type of bator, that would be great!!!!

 

[gabrielle1976]

I am new so I am not shure how much help I will be but I will try , here goes...

Is it a still air or does it have a fan?

I think for a still air ducks are much like chickens and you should shoot for 101
for a bator with a fan 99.5 ......someone jump in if I am wrong here....

the humidity for ducks is higher but I dont know exactly if I were to guess I would say about 55-60% for the first part and up to 80% the last few days.
I think ducks take 28 days instead of 21 like chickens.
If everything is hatching the same time then you can leave them in the bator instead of moveig them to a hatcher.......

I hope someone that actually knows something comes along soon

 

[ro.netcmarie]

it doesn't have a fan in it, so i'm assumming thats still air. it has been on 101 degees and humidity is 44% going on for about 4 hours now. i hope that is ok.

 

[gabrielle1976]

the temp is good Im pretty shure but if you are gonna put duck eggs in it I would try to get the humidity up a little bit at least to 50%
once youre ready to set those eggs remmber the temp will go down afterwards and you dont need to adjust the temp or anything , its just the eggs getting up to temp in the bator.
Does it have an atumatic turner ?
And you should look for and read the info on here about hatching eggs its really helpfull.

 

[ro.netcmarie]

nope no turner. just wanting to hatch a few of my pekin eggs. i have the bottom well filled with water. there is 2nd for raising the humidity up last couple of days, but can i fill that one up or should i just put a wet sponge in there ontop of the wire next to the eggs???

 

[gabrielle1976]

I think a sponge would work that way you could wet it a little for a little humidity and more for more humidity .
I hope miss prissy or one of our duck people < think she is duck but maybe its goose eh not shure now that I think about it eek> come on soon for some more detailed instuctions.

 

[ro.netcmarie]

is there anybody out there with anymore advise about this????? please help, am a newbie.

 

[tofuranch]

Just put in the sponge for more humidity. You need it higher for ducks because they are water fowl.

Your temp is fine.

Take a deep breath and relax, you will do just fine

 

[ro.netcmarie]

just added the 2nd sponge. the temp is at 101 and the humidity is at 55%. does it need to be any higher??? should the sponges go on the top of the wire or underneath? does it matter?? currently ontop of it. both of the red plug are in is this suppose to be , or is one suppose to be out???both are in right now. i do know that they are to be removed so they can dry after hatching. just want to make sure everything is ok before i put them in.

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

Ok so you can set the sponge sticking up out of the water to increase surface area and therefore humidity...I do 50-55% in the start, then 70-80% during the hatch...yours should take 28 days, but this isn't exact so + or - 2 days...if it runs a little hot they take less, a little cool they take longer. I think 101 is right for still air, and put the thermometer @ egg level to be accurate. Make sure the temp is stable o/n before you put them in, then don't mess with it unless it goes real hot. Turn 3x per day, mark X on one side and O on the other so you can keep track...after day 4 , once a day, while the lid is cracked and you are done turning, and it is cooler, mist the eggs with warm water. This helps the humidity come back and is like momma getting off, then coming back from a swim all wet. I bought a tiny travel spray bottle and I just fill it with warm water and stand it in one corner of the incubator so it stays warm. Oh and the last 3 days no more turning and you can put down some of that spongy shelf liner so they have something nice to walk on.
woo, sorry for the book! Good Luck!

edit: so there needs to be some ventilation the whole time, so make sure there is some vent open somewhere....