Homemade incubator settings....

[Erica H]

Hi! I'm new to BYC!

I love it...so addicting!

I just received 17 hatching eggs through the mail. Silkies!! Can't wait! I've had my incubator set up for several days, and currently my eggs are "settling" after their journey. The temperature in my incubator is holding steady at 100-102 degrees. The humidity is at about 47-51%. My problem is that I've found so many different answers as far as what temp and humidity I should be at. The incubator is a foam chest with a viewing window, and air vents, but no fan. I am located in SE Georgia, so it's pretty humid on average. I did successfully hatch out 1 duck egg in the past without worrying about the humidity.(and it was a cardboard box with a light bulb and glass over it) Please help!! What are the proper settings for my incubator?

 

[dvoice]

Hi! I'm new to BYC!

I love it...so addicting!

I just received 17 hatching eggs through the mail. Silkies!! Can't wait! I've had my incubator set up for several days, and currently my eggs are "settling" after their journey. The temperature in my incubator is holding steady at 100-102 degrees. The humidity is at about 47-51%. My problem is that I've found so many different answers as far as what temp and humidity I should be at. The incubator is a foam chest with a viewing window, and air vents, but no fan. I am located in SE Georgia, so it's pretty humid on average. I did successfully hatch out 1 duck egg in the past without worrying about the humidity.(and it was a cardboard box with a light bulb and glass over it) Please help!! What are the proper settings for my incubator?

Hi Erica, I understand completely how you feel. I'm working on my second setting and the first one was a bust. I had electrical probs and lost all but one of 96 eggs.. Before you believe anyone, find out how many times they've incubated, look through their past post. I find a lot of these ppl say they've had great hatch rates but it's based on 2 hatches and when you look at their numbers often it's below 50%. as for the ppl that say different climates are different and affect your settings, not sure if I believe that. If the humidity outside is 40% in one place and 82% in another shouldn't matter to what you're reading inside your bator.your bator becomes the final climate for hatching, not the house,barn etc. I've got a circulated air homebuilt cabinet and am trying 44-46% and I will adjust according to egg weight. They should lose approx. 14-16% over the incubation so at day 7 I will re weigh and adjust humidity accordingly and will up it to anywhere between 55 and 65% on lockdown. I have mine set up through a controller and a repti fogger wired in so it turns on and off at 44 and 46%. Temp. I believe is one of the biggest things and mine is set to hold within .3 either side of 99.5, That's as close I can get it. Good luck BTW I bought a couple silkie day olds to keep my one chick that hatched company but now it seems the one chick will need to be culled as it's legs are giving out. it was doing fine for the first week but can't walk now, I believe it was a temp. thing.

 

[Erica H]

Thanks for all the info!! In just a little bit, it's time for them to go into the incubator. But last night I was reading...and I read that if I settled them upright (as opposed to laying on their sides), I should also incubate them in that position. Is this the case? I prefer to do it with them laying on their sides.

 

[dvoice]

Sorry, Can't answer that question as I don't do shipped eggs and mine go into turners although if I understand it correctly you have to wait for them to settle small end sown in egg cartons, you can candle before you put into the bator to make sure the air sac is on the top and formed, after that I;m sure it's fine to lay on side. I'm just speaking from logic not experience. I think the main reason for resting them is to make sure everything settles into the proper place(not scrambled) people that collect eggs and don't have enough together for 3-7 days still put them in cartons and then lay on sides.

 

[Erica H]

Thank you!! They have been settling in exactly that way. I really appreciate your help.