Incubator Experts needed, HELP

[chkncrazy]

Okay so I ordered two dozen barn yard mixed fertilized eggs from a reliable source on eBay all different colors blue Olive White's Browns pinks and I'm also going to be adding along my own eggs that are being laid one or two a day since it's winter up here in Connecticut they're not laying as much!!!!!!!! My only dilemma is my incubator I haven't used it in 10 years and I'm afraid of making a mistake......i was trying to post in another section to get help on my incubator, I was going to start on Monday so I already have it set up like I supposed to with it turned on and everything I'm just confused about the temperatures ...if someone could please help me or point me to the right direction making a new post I have the Little Giant still air incubator unfortunately I don't have the rotating egg thingamajigger which last time I successfully hatched every single 20 of my eggs without it... my question is I turned it on and un covered the holes like I was told to by so many people and the temperature went to like a hundred and 110 or 105 .... so then I added water to the little reservoirs so I lowered it a bit and now it's staying around 99 ish.... I know it's going to fluctuate once I add in all the eggs I just don't want to make any mistakes and don't want to waste of money and time I'm really excited because I haven't had such a mixture of chickens hopefully one of you smart chicken experts can help me out thank you so so much!!!!!!.... usually I'm the one answering questions for everyone else when it comes to incubating it's not my cup of tea ...around my parts they call me the chicken doctor because having them for so many years I've become so observant of them that I can tell when they are a little off.... I really hope somebody could simplify this for me I'm being a typical Virgo and overthinking this I just don't want hard boiled eggs he he he thank you thank you so much once again
...... so basically once I fill it up with eggs fill up the Reservoir what does the temperature of the incubator need to stay steady at I believe right now visiting around with the dial I have it to like 99 and it's been at that 4/24 hours........ thanks in advance guys

 

[Pyxis]

For still air incubators, you want the temperature to be 101.5 degrees, measured at the top of the eggs.

 

[chkncrazy]

Ok...... right now with nothing in it but the water it's between 99.5 a d 102 ... so I'm guessing that's a hundred point five I think every line equals 2 degrees.... 5 lines up from 99.5 is 110.5 ....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

so I ordered two dozen barn yard mixed fertilized eggs from a reliable source on eBay

So your eggs were shipped? How far? Were they NPIP certified? What makes them a reliable source?

Filling your reservoirs might not be the right step, it depends on where your humidity is. I incubate around 35% humidity... which is no water in the wells. Do you have a calibrated thermometer/hygrometer?

I agree 101.5 as measured at the top of the eggs.

I have auto turners now... but got my best hatches when hand turning also.

The temp will drop when you add your eggs. Leave it alone and let it stabilize back before making anymore adjustments.

Happy hatching!

 

[chkncrazy]

I got them from the same Source before only I stuck them under a broody ....now I have no Broodys... I live in Connecticut and have the heat on so I'm guessing it's pretty dry here..... I never had a hydrometer before? Every instruction I read always said put a little water in the reservoirs lol

 

[Noah Way Farm]

I am definitely no expert, but I have a similar incubator to yours. I do not add water until lockdown, unless the humidity dips below 25%. You can get a cheap hydrometer/thermometer at Walmart for like $15. You will find them in the cooking UTENSILS section. Where the big spoons and stuff are (trying to save you the hour of looking it took me).
I have an old still air Hovabator. I hate it. It's very difficult to keep at a constant temperature, but holds humidity really well. I try to get it as close to 101.5 as I can, but its prone to inexplicable rising temps. It cooked a whole batch of eggs on me....

 

[Noah Way Farm]

Oh, and my eggs usually hatch early, around day 19.

I am definitely no expert, but I have a similar incubator to yours. I do not add water until lockdown, unless the humidity dips below 25%. You can get a cheap hydrometer/thermometer at Walmart for like $15. You will find them in the cooking UTENSILS section. Where the big spoons and stuff are (trying to save you the hour of looking it took me).
I have an old still air Hovabator. I hate it. It's very difficult to keep at a constant temperature, but holds humidity really well. I try to get it as close to 101.5 as I can, but its prone to inexplicable rising temps. It cooked a whole batch of eggs on me....

 

[aart]

First....test your thermometers for accuracy.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[chkncrazy]

I am definitely no expert, but I have a similar incubator to yours. I do not add water until lockdown, unless the humidity dips below 25%. You can get a cheap hydrometer/thermometer at Walmart for like $15. You will find them in the cooking UTENSILS section. Where the big spoons and stuff are (trying to save you the hour of looking it took me).
I have an old still air Hovabator. I hate it. It's very difficult to keep at a constant temperature, but holds humidity really well. I try to get it as close to 101.5 as I can, but its prone to inexplicable rising temps. It cooked a whole batch of eggs on me....

I only used it one time before so it was packed away and all the original papers including the thermometer in the original Ziploc bag so it hasn't been tampered with too much..... last time I used that I was just putting a little bit of water every time it dried up and I had an almost 100% success rate although on the third day somehow it went up to 110 degrees which I quickly open the Dome don't know how I didn't boil the eggs dot-dot-dot never had a problem since that day and I checked the thermometer every time I rotated the eggs and afterwards I just don't want to waste all these bags because of a dumb error thanks so much for the reply that anymore would be appreciated

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Oh, and my eggs usually hatch early, around day 19.

That's either genetics or your thermometer is off. What breed?

Interestingly... my bantam wheaten Ameraucana always hatch a day early as well. I haven't gotten to test under a broody YET. But without changing incubator settings at all... the Silkies I just hatched (as well all previous Silkies) were right on time, just like all my other hatches (barring power outages). While 21 days id the average norm, some lines DO vary.

Be interesting to have someone else hatch your eggs or a broody and see what day that hatch?

I also have a still air hovabator 1602N... I actually love it more than my forced air one, and have no problem maintaining temps as long as I don't let my house tempo swing too much. Wafers can go bad and need replacing though.