Incubating without a cooling option

[BecsRitchie]

Hello,

It's been a few years since i used an incubator as i usually have a broody hen or two. I am using a Brinsea mini eco with which you manually turn the eggs 2- 3 times a day. Previously I used an incubator which had a program so it turned the eggs and also cooled for an hour a day. I don't have the manual for this one and have watched all of the companies online tutorials none of which mention allowing the eggs to cool once a day for an hour. My research tells me that the most successful hatches have had cooling times each day. Does anyone have any nuggets of knowledge here. Would you advise I take the lid off once a day for a bit until lockdown?

Many thanks for any advice

Rebecca

 

[nuthatched]

Very few incubators have cooling settings, incubate according to your new models directions. Leaving the lid off will dry them out.

 

[BecsRitchie]

Thank you!

 

[K0k0shka]

You don't need to cool them. Cooling is just something they have to deal with when the hen gets up to eat, it's not something they require. Incubator eggs are spared that, and I doubt it affects them negatively in any way. They may even be better off that way!

 

[raingarden]

Doesn't the inside air cool down every time you open it to turn the eggs?

 

[nuthatched]

Doesn't the inside air cool down every time you open it to turn the eggs?

Unless it has an auto Turner, yes.

 

[K0k0shka]

Unless it has an auto Turner, yes.

OP says they are turning the eggs manually.

 

[nuthatched]

OP says they are turning the eggs manually.

I know, I was answering you about incubators on general.

 

[BecsRitchie]

Doesn't the inside air cool down every time you open it to turn the eggs?

Yes, although I place the lid on a surface and the air within the lid is still pumping warm so when I replace it it had retained its dome of warmth.
When my broody hens over the years have left their eggs unattended for an hour or so to scratch around, feed and stretch their legs the eggs have been exposed to cool, dry air for all that time. All of my natural hatchings with a broody hen have been 100% successful as have my incubated eggs with cooling times. So to me this is a natural way to treat eggs in the early days of incubation. I have just turned them and have left the lid off for ten mins. will pop it back on now. The later days nearing lockdown I will concentrate on rest and humidity not interfere.