I just got my first Incubator!!! Questions??

[bossynbella]

Well yesterday I picked up a Little Giant Still air incubator and a turner at Thiesens. I put it all together, Hopefully right. It looks good except I have to make sure the cord from the turner is in the slot right every time I put the lid on. No matter how I turn the turner The cord does not line up right with either of the slots. If anyone has a picture of a little giant with turner installed that could be helpful. It works the way it is though. I have the two thermometers that came with it and the Thermometer/Hygrometer I bought for way to much money! I figure having it might make the difference between a Good hatch and not. I am not sure where to put it at. The instructions say to lay the two small ones on the eggs. I think the big one is two heavy maybe to big to lay there. So I have it propped up against the side on the empty spot next to the cord. I can see it from the windows if I lean down. I don't have it on yet because I want to put my eggs in Next Friday It is so hard to wait, but that way I will be sure to be home for the hatch!
So it says to let it warm up 24hrs, is that right? So I should turn it on thursday and make sure the temp is right and everything so I can add the eggs Friday night?

Just want to make sure I do everything right. Also we are having problems telling some of our call duck eggs from our EE eggs would it be bad if we ended up with a duck egg or two in with the chicken eggs? I know they take longer but would it matter if we took them out of the turner at day 18 with the other eggs? The only way to tell some of them is to get them wet, then they feel kind of oily.I know you are not suppose to wash them before incubation though.

Sorry this is so long
THanks in advance Don't know what I would do without you all!
Melissa

 

[Laskaland]

Quote:
Congrats, Melissa!! I had to sort of push down on the styrofoam to get the turner cord to sit right. You may have to take a knife and just make a bigger hole. I would say, warm it up and hold a temp for 8 hours. I think if you can maintain it for that long you should be just fine. Not sure about the duck answers. Aren't EE eggs brown, blue or green? What color are duck eggs? Mine were Rouens, and they were a llot bigger than the chicken eggs.
GOOD LUCK!!
Hugs
christina

 

[jvls1942]

I would strongly suggest you get that bator plugged in right now and adjust it .. trying to tweak it just before your eggs are about ready to go in is really cutting it short.. after you get it tweaked, unplug it and then plug it back in 8 hours before the eggs go in.

you did right by buying a good thermometer..

 

[deerman]

After adding eggs the temp. may drop a little, dont adjust the temp,untill after the cool egg have come up to temp.

 

[BirdBrain]

Plug it in now. It is easier to stabilize the temps now with no eggs than it will we later. If the temps shoot up now, you won't have fried any eggs. It is less nerve wracking.

 

[swtangel321]

Keep in mind duck eggs take longer to hatch than chicken eggs they also need higher hum than chicken eggs !! If this is your first hatch I wouldnt try it !!

 

[bossynbella]

I was going to turn it on on Thursday and not add eggs till Friday night? I figured that way I had a while to make sure the temps would stay steady. If there are problems with the temp staying steady I can wait to add eggs till saturday. I am just going to add whatever is layed thursday and friday.I can turn it on Wednesday instead. Just don't want to push it too much. DH was not real happy when I brought it home. I had told him I was going to get one he just rolled his eyes, he will be excited when the chicks come, he just thinks I should wait till summer.
So would Wednesday be okay?

My EE's lay green eggs and my call ducks lay green eggs. Sometimes I can tell by the way the shell looks but othertimes no. I have pulled a warm wet egg from under my call duck and if I hadn't taken it from her I would of thought it was a EE egg. They are the same size as our chickens eggs. Guess I will just have to go with just brown eggs this time

Bummer...

Also for those of you who have used this incubator what temp and humidity are best?
I heard temp 101 and Humidity 60% is that what you would reccomend?
Also I only plan on incubating a dozen eggs. To appease DH. Where would be the best spot to put them? Left Middle or by motor side?
Thanks again
Melissa

 

[jvls1942]

you already did the deed and got it, so do it correctly if you want to impress DH... sounds like he is just waiting for you to fail..

turn the da-- thing on way ahead of time and get it stabilized !!

I got a feeling he will be fiddling with it before too long..

 

[Ole Bubba]

I agree whole heartedly with jvls1942. Get it set up way prior to setting the eggs.

 

[swtangel321]

Here is some info on hum, 60% is to high for day 1-18, 30%-40% day 1-18 is good !!!! up it to 65% on day 18 when you stop turing !!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html