I am new to an incubator can anyone help?

[chickenlady08]

My daughter is doing her 9th grade Science project on hatching eggs. We are using some Trader Joe fertile eggs and some my chickens eggs. I don't have a broody right now and can't wait any longer to get one, so I am going to purchase a LG bator tomorow. I have a friend that has used one and has had good success with it. So before I go and spend a ton of money on a really nice one I am starting with this one to do her project.

What pointers can anyone give me? How can I ease my nerves with the thought of something happening to them in the bator.

Please any thoughts and reccomendations are welcome.

 

[paddock36]

I only have a homemade incubator so I don't know about the LG but I'm sure there are others here that can tell you about them. Does it have a turner or will you be hand turning? If you candle the eggs around day 10 you can cull any eggs that are not developing. Do you already know what humidity and temp should be?

 

[NYRIR]

I have an LG still air bator.I would recommend to have it up and running a day or two ahead of time as I noticed with mine it took a while to get the temp/humidity right.I do know that it needs to be in a room with a consistent temperature because if the room flucuates a few degrees, it changes the temp in your bator so I have been watching mine closely.Mine are due to hatch on saturday.I have been keeping the temp at 99.5-100.0 at the BOTTOM of the bator and the humidity was at 50% for the incubation phase.For lockdown I have the humidity at 62-65%.With this model , I filled the bottom troughs and I also added a wet cloth in one corner for lockdown.It took that much because I heat with wood and my house is very dry.As of last night,I have seen roughly half of the eggs "rocking" so I know they are still alive so far.Good luck with your hatch!

Forgot to say...I have no turner so we've been hand turning 3 x a day...until lockdown,of course

 

[chickenlady08]

NYRIR and PADDOCK

Thank you guys. We have a wood boiler for our heat as well. We used to have just hot water baseboard for heat. Well with gas prices and the fact that the house was always cold made us decide to switch to the wood boiler. The house has never been warmer.

Do you think with the wood boiler that it makes the house dryer. How can I tell if it is? If so I suppose the hummidity would be a little off. Right?

Does the fact that I live in VA and you live in NY have any reason for differences in what to have the temp on and the humity at? Cause I have a friend that lives in PA and she has had success with what she has hatched in her LG still air.

Is the turner a good idea? Oh and I have a place that I will put the bator that is constant heat and no drafts. I am just going to pull down the blinds in there to eliminate afternoon sun.

Is there anything else that can help?

 

[latebloomer]

do you have a digital temperature and humidity reader?
i have one and it's really great
big numbers, easy to read, etc.

i have hovabator 1602n and had a bit of trouble
regulating the temperature at first but now, it's
behaving like a champ.

also there are those really small brinsea models
they might be just the thing for a school project

 

[paddock36]

I would think that if the house was dryer than so would your humidity but that is why you have the water in the bator....I'm guessing the LG has a place for water....I'm in FL so there's always some type of humidity, but I've never really noticed it changing in my incubator due to the temps outside. I would also suggest a humidity/temp reader. I believe Walmart carries them and they run off a AAA battery. They are really easy to use.

 

[pharmchickrnmom]

I have an lg incubator with a fan and egg turner that I bought used. This is my first time incubating and I am 4 days from lockdown. My house is dry so I have a hydrometer in the bator and have kept the humidity around 40 percent. My temps are holding around 100 and I have two thermomters in it, one on each side. I havent had to fiddle with it much. I have 4 silkie eggs that are doing well so far. I have read all the negative comments on this bator but I am having no problems so far. I like the egg turner as i work during the day so I cant come home and turn them.

 

[chickenlady08]

Ok so I bought the LG still air incubator today. I also got the egg turner. I set it up to get familiar with it and get the temps and humity straight.

I have got the temp holding steady at 99.5, but the humidity is at like 31%.

Is this good or do I need it higher for when I put the eggs in there. I do have the wells filled with water. What else can I do to raise humidity.

Thanks

 

[texaschickmom]

Quote:
I believe with the still air your temp should be 101 instead of 99.5. You might check on that. I think your humidity is good for now. But when you go into lockdown (last 3 days) you'll have to raise it up to 60 - 70%. I've read ideas on this website to use sponges, paper towels, etc. I'm on day 2 of my first incubation, so I'm learning, too! Hope we have good luck.

 

[jvls1942]

I am glad you got the turner..

I do not know where the 101F came from in the still air incubators..

I was hatching eggs 50 years ago in the round metal incuators, no fan. no hgrometers.. no digital thermometers.. just a pie tin for water..
and 99.5F for temperature.. near 100% hatches was not uncommon for most people back then..

just sayin'

one of the main things, if not the main thing is to have verile chickens and good eggs..