Incubator help!?

[JosieMaeChickens]

I am working with a Little Giant still air incubator. Usually, per the directions, I’ve set the humidity to 50-55% for days 1-18. Only getting about 50% hatch rates. So further research showed me I may have the humidity too high and to try 30-40%. I’ve never used the things (sorry can’t remember what they are called) inside the incubator, I’ve just went off the one on the incubator. So this time I’m testing it out before placing any water or eggs in. However I’m getting 3 different readings. The two on the inside are directly under the heater part. Suggestions please?
Should I add a fan? If so how? Inside or outside?
Also is 100 degrees a good temp?

Edit— the gages are sitting egg height on a Tupperware container.

 

[nuthatched]

What type of failures are you getting? After how many days do you get your most quitters?

 

[Obsessed With Silkies]

I've never used a still air incubator before I have a Farmers Innovators 4250. As for your humidity and temperature, I would try 40-45% humidity at 99.5 degrees the whole way through. That method is when I had my highest hatch rates but then again it wasn't a still air incubator so I'm not sure how that might affect your hatch. Good luck!

 

[mcdze]

hmm .. you got all sorts of gauges there, the unit gauge is just a reference .. id get them off the bottom, set them on an egg carton etc, and preferably get some new ones all the same on ebay .. about 3-4 of them ..

 

[JosieMaeChickens]

hmm .. you got all sorts of gauges there, the unit gauge is just a reference .. id get them off the bottom, set them on an egg carton etc, and preferably get some new ones all the same on ebay .. about 3-4 of them ..

Sorry it’s hard to tell but they are sitting about egg height on a small Tupperware container. But yes maybe some new ones are needed.

 

[JosieMaeChickens]

What type of failures are you getting? After how many days do you get your most quitters?

I usually candle at day 18. I’m not sure on exactly how and when... however I noticed a lot tend to be pretty dark black with a weird looking air cell. Like can’t even see a chick to see if if moving or not.

 

[nuthatched]

I usually candle at day 18. I’m not sure on exactly how and when... however I noticed a lot tend to be pretty dark black with a weird looking air cell. Like can’t even see a chick to see if if moving or not.

Have you candled before then? If not, I'd consider starting. Are theses your own eggs or shipped?

 

[JosieMaeChickens]

Have you candled before then? If not, I'd consider starting. Are theses your own eggs or shipped?

I’ve only done this about 4 times so I’m a newbie. The first 3 times I candled around day 7 and then 18. This last time I decide to just candle once at day 18 to limited the handling of eggs and their time outside the incubator because I thought maybe that was contributing to my hatch rate issue. Every time it has either been all our own eggs or a mix of our eggs and friends eggs. Nothing shipped.

 

[nuthatched]

I’ve only done this about 4 times so I’m a newbie. The first 3 times I candled around day 7 and then 18. This last time I decide to just candle once at day 18 to limited the handling of eggs and their time outside the incubator because I thought maybe that was contributing to my hatch rate issue. Every time it has either been all our own eggs or a mix of our eggs and friends eggs. Nothing shipped.

If you candle more often, you can see when the eggs quit and narrow down the cause.

 

[Yardmom]

Still air incubators tend to be warmer near the heater and cooler on the edges. I have read a recommendation of setting a still air incubator at 102 degrees. LG have a place to plug in a fan they sell that can be added inside. Maybe another type of fan could be added inside. The higher humidity could be affecting your hatch rate, but I would also look into hot and or cold spots in the incubator.