Incubation conserns and advice would be appreciated.

[Knigge]

This is my first hatch just lots of researching on here. That looks like a good incubator and a great price. I'd ask around on here before getting it. I think most are finicky about the room temp too though. From what I've read the hovabator is supposed to be a decent one. I have the farm store Little giant and I'm sure it will take some learning but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[ladyh]

This is my first hatch just lots of researching on here. That looks like a good incubator and a great price. I'd ask around on here before getting it. I think most are finicky about the room temp too though. From what I've read the hovabator is supposed to be a decent one. I have the farm store Little giant and I'm sure it will take some learning but so far I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[ladyh]

I have 2 good thermometers and the one on my Little Giant 10300. I keep a spreadsheet of all 3 Temps all humidities and the temp in the room and it averages it out for me. I take readings multiple times a day and adjust but I record them on the spreadsheet 3 times a day and make notes of anything I did as far as water and candeling. Maybe keeping record would help you? It helps me feel better and feel like I'm adjusting Temps well.

I also candle at day 7, 14 and 18 to see how they are growing. Using a good LED flashlight in a really dark room makes a huge difference. I have some EE green eggs in the Bator and couldn't see in them with a normal flashlight. Used the LED tonight and saw much better.

I had to adjust my thermostat in the house to a steady 69 degrees. I had it dropping at night but presenting eggs showed a major temp change over night so we keep it steady and that helps. A small space heater in that room might help your Bator a lot.

 

[Knigge]

It looks like a good one. You could always keep both and use one for a hatcher only. I've seen people do that too.

 

[ladyh]

It looks like a good one. You could always keep both and use one for a hatcher only. I've seen people do that too.

 

[Knigge]

Oh yeah. They are awesome. It was really neat to see them in there moving around and stuff. Here is a blurry picture we took, but you can see the dark spot, that is the eye. This baby was moving around a lot. Can't wait to see what it looks like on Saturday which will be day 14 for us. Since this is our first hatch it is all new to us so I wasn't sure I would be able to see what we were supposed to. I got my hubs good LED flashlight and put it just diagonal through the air cell and saw everything. Moving it around a bit let us see a lot. We are looking really good right now. Waiting until the 30th is going to kill us.




I also have 3 does that are supposed to be pregnant and due the end of February but the 1 who had her baby last year and the other first time momma didn't look pregnant at all. One of my does is just a fat fluffy gal and I didn't think she took either. Turns out today I could see her nipples below all her hair. She is definitely pregnant and due end of February. So we are going to have lots of little babies around here. Then I am getting duck eggs and possibly turkey eggs too after this hatch that I will probably be setting early February.

 

[ladyh]

Oh yeah. They are awesome. It was really neat to see them in there moving around and stuff. Here is a blurry picture we took, but you can see the dark spot, that is the eye. This baby was moving around a lot. Can't wait to see what it looks like on Saturday which will be day 14 for us. Since this is our first hatch it is all new to us so I wasn't sure I would be able to see what we were supposed to. I got my hubs good LED flashlight and put it just diagonal through the air cell and saw everything. Moving it around a bit let us see a lot. We are looking really good right now. Waiting until the 30th is going to kill us.




I also have 3 does that are supposed to be pregnant and due the end of February but the 1 who had her baby last year and the other first time momma didn't look pregnant at all. One of my does is just a fat fluffy gal and I didn't think she took either. Turns out today I could see her nipples below all her hair. She is definitely pregnant and due end of February. So we are going to have lots of little babies around here. Then I am getting duck eggs and possibly turkey eggs too after this hatch that I will probably be setting early February.

 

[Knigge]

That is cool. I have read mixed reviews on here, but most seem to say that you are better off candling with the light until the eggs are late, then do the water test before you do eggtopsy. I have only candled twice now. Once before we put them in and then again at 7 days. I will candle again on day 14 and then on day 18 and decide who makes the cut and who isn't developing and shouldn't go in the hatcher.

We have fainter does and I bred them to a nice buck before I sold him. I was really hoping that they took so that I could breed any does to the buck I have now and breed their momma's to him also. Makes it easier next year lol. I was checking on my only pregnant doe last year like every hour the closer she got and hubs convinced me to sleep through the night and that she wasn't going to have it that night. I listened to him, since he has been on the farm more than me and seen lots of cows born. Well turns out I missed it! I was not happy, but we did get an adorable little doeling so I was excited about that. Hoping for more girls this year, but if we get a nice buckling I may keep him to breed to that baby. I have gotten to the point were I really have to keep records. Good thing I found a really cool record keeping app.

 

[ladyh]

That is cool. I have read mixed reviews on here, but most seem to say that you are better off candling with the light until the eggs are late, then do the water test before you do eggtopsy. I have only candled twice now. Once before we put them in and then again at 7 days. I will candle again on day 14 and then on day 18 and decide who makes the cut and who isn't developing and shouldn't go in the hatcher.

We have fainter does and I bred them to a nice buck before I sold him. I was really hoping that they took so that I could breed any does to the buck I have now and breed their momma's to him also. Makes it easier next year lol. I was checking on my only pregnant doe last year like every hour the closer she got and hubs convinced me to sleep through the night and that she wasn't going to have it that night. I listened to him, since he has been on the farm more than me and seen lots of cows born. Well turns out I missed it! I was not happy, but we did get an adorable little doeling so I was excited about that. Hoping for more girls this year, but if we get a nice buckling I may keep him to breed to that baby. I have gotten to the point were I really have to keep records. Good thing I found a really cool record keeping app.