Homemade Incubator questions

[Chicabee19]

1) If you should not open your incubator in order to preserve temp and humidity, how do you turn the eggs when you are using a homemade setup??

2) What does it mean to let eggs "rest" when you receive them?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

When you receive shipped eggs, you need to let the eggs rest overnight. Put them large end up in an egg carton and let them sit so that they can settle from shipping. If you dont have a turner, you open the incubator and hand turn the eggs.

 

[monarc23]

I only let my shipped eggs rest for 6 hours then i put them in.

If you're wondering why they need to rest, well being mailed to you is very stressful on the eggs being shooken around, possibly droped etc...it gives the yolk a chance to settle AND by letting them rest for a few hours it puts the eggs at room temperature...if your eggs are cold when you pop them in the incubator they will "sweat" (condenstation) and it can harm the eggs.

 

[monarc23]

Quote:
this is for people who worry too much about humidity. lol AND have automatic turners..lol

I have a Little Giant incubator NO turner, so i turn by hand daily atleast 3 times a day. You dont really have to concern yourself about humidity until the day you stop turning (Which is normally 4 days before they hatch). Least this is my "Rule".


When you open the incubater it will mess with the humidity and the temp as well if you keep it opened too long. However in nature a hen needs to leave the nest to eat drink and poo....and this is the same "simulation" for these eggs..gives the incubator eggs a fresh burst of air, as well as is natural.

On the day you stop turnning yoru eggs (so the chicks can prepair to rotate in the eggs to pip) you DONT open the incubator anymoer, but make sure that you have enough water in the incubator to up the humidity to about 60-70%

That's why then you'll need to ignore your bator...because if you open it it willose that humidity and can cause problems with the chicks that are working on hatching.