I just got my very first incubator! UPDATE: HATCHING!! & Question

[Mrs. Glassman]

I am so excited!
DH was looking around on one of his forums and found a Hova-bator 1602n with the fan, & auto turning racks for chicken and quail eggs. All the parts were there and they guy was only asking $60!

I have never tried this before, but I have always wanted one. You guys bare with me, because I may ask a hundred questions over the course of my first try. I have also been reading other threads and doing google searches trying to learn all I can.

I put everything together, and it seems to be working properly. I don't have a thermometer, so to DH's dismay, I ripped the sensor for our outdoor thermometer/automic clock off of the side of the shed. It's really convienient because I can just glance up at the clock and see the temp.

I've had it running for about 4 hours. The lowest temp was 99.5º, and the highest has been 100.1º. It seems to be running within limits.

I filled the water pan before I got it started....and the water thing is where I get fuzzy. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to keep it full, or just make sure it does not go dry, or how to tell if I have the humidity right. The vents are open, and there is no sweat on the glass....that's a good sign, right?

For my first go, I've decided to use some eggs out of the hen house. I stopped collecting, but one hen refuses to go broody. There are 7 eggs in her nest box right now. Do I need to wait until there are more, or does the number of eggs matter?

Keep your fingers crossed for me

, and any tips will be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

[Ridgerunner]

With all your preparation, you probably don't need this, but this is the best site I've found on incubation.

http://gallus.tamu.edu/Extension publications/b6092.pdf

As far as the number of eggs, you can go with any number you want but the incubator temperature will probably be more stable if you have more mass in there. That way it takes longer to heat up or cool down. You could pack it with eggs or you could come up with something else. Maybe rocks, wooden blocks, something solid plastic? I have seen reports where people had better hatches with a full incubator. If you do put something other than eggs in there, get them up to temperature before you add the eggs.

Good luck. I predict you will do well.

 

[gabrielle1976]

You should go to like petco or somewhere and get a humidity meter depending on youre area and stuff for the first 18 days chicken eggs need to be between 30-50% humidity the magic number is a debate but I shoot for about 40/45% and dont mind if it drops a little here or there.
Haveing something to guage the humidity is pretty important because some places you can have the little wells brimming full with water and still only be at like 40% and some places you only need like 1/2 of it to get there ect.
Good luck

Oh and remmber when you add the eggs the temps will drop , sometimes a lot but they will eventually go up by themselves its just the eggs haveing to come up to bator temp.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

They Are HATCHING!!!

OMG...I can hardly contain myself. So far, 3 of the 7 have begun. Every so often, one will even rock a little!!

My feet & back are going to be sooo tired from leaning over the bator peering in the window.

 

[RuffTuffCreampuff]

Congrats! Exicting isn't it? So far I have 4 baby quail hatched, and one chicken egg pipped.

Pam

 

[R@ndy]

Congrats on your 1st

but be careful it IS addictive!!

 

[skeeter9]

Oh, now you've done it! You're addicted!!!

Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Question:
One chick has hatched, 4 of the remaining 6 are just barely pipped.

The one hatched is almost dry. Do I move it to the brood pen once it's dry, or make it wait on the rest, then move them all at once?

 

[gabrielle1976]

Try to leave it in there till the others have hatched if you have to take it out at some point do it carefully and quickly and hope the humidity dosnt get messed up. 24 hours is not to long for him to be in there after hatching.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Thanks!

I had the humidity down before the hatch because the air sac didn't look big enough, as soon as I noticed pipping, I stuck rolled up paper towels in the cup of water to wick more moisture into the air.

Still just one out, and the rest are pipped & chirping!