I did exactly the same thing, although with only 6 eggs. My hatch rate was zero, BUT I learned so much along the way that I don't mind.
Here's what I suggest. Go and pick up a second 'bator. Don't bother with a turner. Set that 'bator up as soon as possible. Get it up to temperature. Figure out exactly how much water it needs for your incubating humidity (40-50%), and even figure out how you will add or remove water if necessary. Then add enough water to get it up to hatching humidity (60-70%). Just so you know how it works.
Put your won eggs into the 'bator (back to incubating humidity) until the new one comes and turn them daily ...... Ooops, fly in the ointment: maybe you can't be home to do this? Okay, in that case you really might need to get the turner.... Anyway, when the new bator comes, get it all set up and running smoothly before you move your first batch of eggs into it.
Keep that first bator to use as a hatcher if/as/when (when!!!!!) you have staggered batches of incubating eggs. You really will need it, even if you don't really need the second turner.
By the way, I did not do this, and I highly recommend it: figure out how to do your candling before you have to practice on your new eggs. It's hard on the eggs if you don't do it right, and it's frustrating not to know what you are supposed to be seeing. On the other hand, if you end up having to learn on those 24 eggs, and if you don't get them to hatch -- just remember that education was never cheap.
Susan
By the way, this is NOT what I did. I went to
Wal-Mart and bought a skilllet and tried to set that up as my "other" 'bator. I can't recommend that particular route for a starter route. I might try it again after I am more confident, but it didn't work for me with my very small collection of skills and data.
i'm such a newbie to chickens, but i'm so excited!! i've learned my lesson
