Incubating 1 egg

[Mika17]

I have 1 egg that needs to be incubate to finish hatching. My hen stopped sitting on it. I don't want to lose the unborn chick. What watts do I use for 1 egg

 

[Mika17]

Is 250watts to much just for 1 egg?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

What incubator are you using? What matters is temp and humidity. Let's ask @NatJ to help you.

 

[Mika17]

What incubator are you using? What matters is temp and humidity. Let's ask @NatJ to help you.

I'm making my homemade one using a box

 

[NatJ]

Is 250watts to much just for 1 egg?

Get a thermometer and measure the temperature.

A 250 watt bulb that is very close to the egg is probably too much.
The same 250 watt bulb at a greater distance might be just right.
You might find that 100 watts, or 40 watts, or even less than that, might be enough at certain distances, in a house kept at certain temperatures.

Unfortunately I can't tell you what distances or what temperatures.

What incubator are you using? What matters is temp and humidity.

Yes, the temperature and humidity are important. As long as those are correct, the egg will not care what you do to get them correct.

I'm making my homemade one using a box

You will need to get the temperature right (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit or about 38 degrees Celsius, according to several source I checked online).

How long has the egg already been incubated? That affects whether it needs turning (several times each day for the first 18 days or so, then turning can stop.)

Humidity needs to be higher when the egg is actually hatching. Maybe put a big wet sponge in a bowl of water, so there is lots of surface area for water to evaporate but the chick cannot get in the water and drown after it hatches.

If the egg is more than two or three days away from hatching, the humidity can be a bit lower. If you live somewhere dry, you probably still need to provide some extra moisture in your makeshift incubator. If you live in a humid climate you might not need to do anything about humidity untli it's nearly ready to hatch.

Let's ask @NatJ to help you.

I do know some of the basics, but this has about reached my limit. So it would probably be better to tag someone with more knowledge (I don't hang around the incubating section enough to know who's good at it.)

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Uhhh.... @Perris? @Pyxis?