Incubators Anonymous

[Flowerbh]

i will not candle. I will not candle. I will not candle.

But I just LOOOVE peeking at those little peepers while they're growing! Seriously though. I'm not going to see anything on day 4, so there's no sense in looking.

I got a second thermometer/hygromter (analog) to have a way to sort-of ensure some accuracy. My digital one is sitting on top of the turner, so top of egg height (I have the kind that have the cups that look like fingers, or a spikey hairbrush) and my new analog one is sitting on the RAILS of the turner (where the bottom of the egg would be) They're reading about 1-2 degrees different. It's a hovabator with a fan (stock, not DIY). I know there's a chance that it's just the latent discrepancy between the m, but which one should I go with? I've used the digital one with 3 other hatches that didn't go well, likely due to humidity issues on my part, and the digital one is also right on with what the thermostat thermometers for the house. I feel like I should trust the digital one, but that almost 2 degree difference has me concerned.

I have a Hovabator. There is a small hot spot near the turner motor. (The motor itself causes the added heat). I don't put eggs there. When I candle in 10 days, I will shift the eggs around so no eggs stay near that corner where the turner motor is the whole time.

 

[ki4got]

i will not candle. I will not candle. I will not candle.

But I just LOOOVE peeking at those little peepers while they're growing! Seriously though. I'm not going to see anything on day 4, so there's no sense in looking.

I got a second thermometer/hygromter (analog) to have a way to sort-of ensure some accuracy. My digital one is sitting on top of the turner, so top of egg height (I have the kind that have the cups that look like fingers, or a spikey hairbrush) and my new analog one is sitting on the RAILS of the turner (where the bottom of the egg would be) They're reading about 1-2 degrees different. It's a hovabator with a fan (stock, not DIY). I know there's a chance that it's just the latent discrepancy between the m, but which one should I go with? I've used the digital one with 3 other hatches that didn't go well, likely due to humidity issues on my part, and the digital one is also right on with what the thermostat thermometers for the house. I feel like I should trust the digital one, but that almost 2 degree difference has me concerned.

personally, i used a human-type digital oral thermometer that's long enough to go down to egg level on my 'bator, thru a vent hole (with paper wrapped around to seal the gap). and i took readings at different times of the heating cycle (heat on/off) to see what the range was. that is probably the most accurate thermometer you're likely to find, IMO. as for humidity, it doesn't need to horribly accurate, as long as it's in the ballpark... i dry incubate, adding no water to the incubators for the first 18 days, then increase humidity once eggs go to the hatcher. my humidity gauges read anywhere from 10-20% in the incubators, then 55-65% for the hatcher usually. i use them more as a general guide to where i'm at, and have just learned what works best thru trial and error in regards to humidity for my location and such.

there are no hard/fast rules for hatching, since even the same incubator will vary depending on where it is, and it's local surroundings. even a different shelf in the same room can throw it off a bit. so once you get an accurate reading on the thermometer, learn how much off the others are and compensate as needed and get the incubator set accurately, then it's just a matter of learning your humidity ranges and what works best for you.

but you'll also have to compensate some for seasons, storms, heating or a/c, that sort of thing, since those do affect the surrounding humidity and temps as well. for example, you may heat with wood in the winter, which makes the air very dry, but keep the windows open in the summer when it's more humid outside.

 

[Blair75214]

I just put my first dozen silkie eggs and dozen cochin eggs in the incubator at 99.5 degrees. About 45 minutes (maybe an hour?) later, I checked on them, and the thermometer read 107!! Did I just kill all the chicks, or was that not long enough or hot enough to do damage?

 

[ozexpat]

I just put my first dozen silkie eggs and dozen cochin eggs in the incubator at 99.5 degrees. About 45 minutes (maybe an hour?) later, I checked on them, and the thermometer read 107!! Did I just kill all the chicks, or was that not long enough or hot enough to do damage?

not long enough. probably. i like to bring my bators to temp with 2 quarts of water in zip locks then swap for eggs. it makes the mechanical thermostat less "twitchy"

good luck

 

[Gracie9205]

not long enough. probably. i like to bring my bators to temp with 2 quarts of water in zip locks then swap for eggs. it makes the mechanical thermostat less "twitchy"

good luck

 

[Blair75214]

And now the temp has remained stable at 99-100 degrees. However, I cannot get humidity below 65%! It's just suck there!! Maybe bc we live in Dallas and its humid here right now?? But this morning I dumped nearly all the water out of the tray thing in the bottom of the incubator. And it is still stuck at 60-65%! Is this going to hurt hatching?
Thanks for any help or advice!!

 

[Overoberyl]

And now the temp has remained stable at 99-100 degrees. However, I cannot get humidity below 65%! It's just suck there!! Maybe bc we live in Dallas and its humid here right now?? But this morning I dumped nearly all the water out of the tray thing in the bottom of the incubator. And it is still stuck at 60-65%! Is this going to hurt hatching?
Thanks for any help or advice!!

Put some rice in there. It'l soak up the moisture. Yes, if it stays that high for an extended period of time during the first 18 days it will most likely impact your hatch.

 

[ozexpat]

And now the temp has remained stable at 99-100 degrees. However, I cannot get humidity below 65%! It's just suck there!! Maybe bc we live in Dallas and its humid here right now?? But this morning I dumped nearly all the water out of the tray thing in the bottom of the incubator. And it is still stuck at 60-65%! Is this going to hurt hatching?
Thanks for any help or advice!!

you need to get rid of all the water. its the surface area of the water not the depth, dry incubation until the first pip is the way to go

 

[DMRippy]

I just put my first dozen silkie eggs and dozen cochin eggs in the incubator at 99.5 degrees. About 45 minutes (maybe an hour?) later, I checked on them, and the thermometer read 107!! Did I just kill all the chicks, or was that not long enough or hot enough to do damage?

I think they will be fine.... how long did you run your bator before you put eggs in? It needs to be stable for 24-48 hours before you put eggs in.....

 

[TAMMACLEAN]

What should the humidity be for dry incubating?