How important is a fan kit in still air incubator?

[vortec]

I am considering starting up with hatching without the use of a fan kit. I have a still air LG 9200, and the egg turner. Will the lack of the fan cause problems with the hatch rate? What are the steps I have to take if I do not use a fan, that I wouldn't have to be as careful with if I had one? thanks

vortec

 

[Akane]

I use all still airs. So long as you keep in mind the heat layering it's not a big deal. The incubator will have huge differences in temp in different areas though. If you put in a small number of eggs all on the same level it's not a problem. If you pack it from one end to the other you have to rotate where the eggs are or the ones in the middle will hatch sooner than the ones on the edge or you may kill some at one of the 2 extremes. If you try to carton incubate where you tip the carton it requires extra effort since the top edge of the carton can be 4 or 5 degrees different from the bottom edge. Just laying a few eggs on their sides in the middle of the incubator really doesn't have any of those problems though. Generally sill airs are run a couple degrees warmer than forced airs. I keep mine right at 102F.