Well, I"m a terrible influence, and therefore you should do the opposite of what I do.
But, here's what I do.
I wash my hands really well before ever handling the eggs. Some people use rubber gloves, but I'm usually too eager to see inside to go find the gloves.
I keep my
brinsea in a dark, light tight room so that way I can candle easily, without having to carry the eggs around. Then, I candle to my heart's content, sometimes at least once a day.
If I'm doing a hatch at the school, I only candle once a week. In that case, I unplug the incubator and carry it to the staff bathroom, turn off the automatic on lights, and then candle.
I also don't have a hygrometer- I just follow the directions- add water to one well, and when it runs dry, refill it. I end up having to refill it twice a week or so.
Then, on lockdown, I take out the turner, put down the nubbly shelf liner, fills both wells with water, and then sit on my hands til chicks come out.
