Incubator Question...

[austinhart123]

I just got a bunch new hens and there laying a storm. I wanted to incubate their eggs but my rcom 20 is full and still has two weeks to go. i have a little giant but the past 3 times i used it, i had zero percent hatch rate. should i try to use it or should i try to get another this week. im on a budget and need something with turners. please let me know what to do.

 

[MandyH]

You need to figure out what is wrong with it and fix it so it's usable. Is it temp, humidity, egg turning problems, ventilation?

 

[austinhart123]

Quote:
its a still air, my themometer the temp ranges from 99 to 103 i never took a humidity reading i just always filled the valleys up and the turners work fine im not too sure about circulation

 

[austinhart123]

someone please answer.....

 

[rooster-red]

Sounds like the thermostat wafer needs replacing, and you probably ran the humidity way too high.

 

[twigg]

Set up the incubator and run it for a week.

The still air temp muzt be measured at the very top of the eggs and be around 102. It can vary but that should be the average. If it varies a lot then there is a problem with the heater, the thermostat or the room temp.

You need a humidity meter. Walmart has them for about $6 and mine is accurate. You need a humidity level of around 45 to 50% for 18 days, and 70% thereafter.

Still air incubators do NOT like to be messed with. Keep it closed until you must open it, and open it as little as possible.

Keep it in a stable room. That rules out one potential problem. Candle at 7 and 14 days, then leave it alone.

A water wriggler and digital thermometer will give you a decent idea of INTERNAL egg temp .... it should read 99.5 F.

Basically, if you can keep your fertile eggs at this temp and humidity for 21 days, they will hatch ... so use a process of elimination to work out which parameter is failing.

It's tedius, but it will get you there

hth

Steve

 

[austinhart123]

im running it now i will buy a humidity meter 2morrow and i already have a digital themometer and thats what im using i dont have any other, i cant wait a week but hopefully things will work out anyway

 

[twigg]

48 hours would give you time to see if there is a night time temp issue on night 1, and fix it on night 2

 

[coffeemama]

Quote:
Yes Twigg, you are right-my night temps. were much better last night