Jumping in! ;o))))*in need of advice and guidance*

[Mandalina]

My DH got me a LG for V-day

We wanted to get a better quality 'bator but money is tight at this second so you get what ya get lol.

Anywho, what basics do i need to know from the amazing chicken hatching gurus???

I dont have a turning so how many times a day do they need to be turned by hand?
What is the ideal temp you all have found the best?
what type of digital thermometer should i get?
are there a special number of eggs that should go into the bator or can any amount be put in?
do all of the eggs going in need to be collected on the same day or how many days can they hang out on my kitchen cabinet before i put them in there?
will i ever get my chicks off my mind after this?

thanks you tons in advance, i am so excited!

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Turn, not over, but around, three times a day by hand. 99.5-100.1 is best (so far for me). I went and bought a walmart digital thermometer with a humidity gauge on it too.

After collecting the eggs, let them rest, fat side up on your counter for a day before putting them in the bator. And no you will never get chicks off your mind after this.

ETA: You can put in how every few or many as you want.

 

[jerryn]

The ---not over but around ( turning) could be a little confusing, At least it had me thinking for a little while. What we mean is if you were incubation them sitting in an egg carton bottom --they would be small end down. now --buy-- turning them --you CANT go large end down, Turners in incubators TILT the eggs-- somthing like at least 30 degrees from side to side always with small end toward bottom. I'm not sure the best proseedure to use with out egg holders --I see some instructions to put on X one one side and on O on the other. then roll them a few times a day.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Putting them in an egg carton and using a book under one end and then changing to the other end is another way to do it.

 

[jerryn]

I've heard of that , but was wondering is there room in a L G to do that? or would the eggs end up against the heat element?

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Well don;t use a telephone book!

 

[eac04]

I don't do the egg carton method (this is my first hatch, still ongoing). What I've done (and so far the eggs are thriving) is ROLL them. I wrote 1, 2 and 3 on the eggs and then three times a day I'll roll them. I roll them ALL to the same number to make sure that I'm not forgetting one. For example, right now they are all at 1... in a couple of hours I'll turn them and they'll be on 2, and so on. The air cell has formed on the fat/big end, so that hasn't been an issue. One thing I would recommend is to go to wal-mart and get the $6 digital thermometer with a humidity gauge... it works really well and if you can't read a thermometer like me, it'll save the lives of your chickies!

GOOD LUCK with it all. It pretty addicting to try and hatch your eggs. Once you see the embryo moving in there, there won't be any turning back!

 

[SophieLain127]

I'm new at this as well but why must the small side be down? So do you rotate them every 8 hours on the dot?

 

[jerryn]

if yor not using egg holders--and keep in mind the momma hens don't,-- then lay the eggs down --and using eac04 plan you would roll them to a new number every few hours. What concerns me is sombody thinking if the eggs are on end( small end down) they may want to simply spin them. ( and that's not doing the trick).
And Debiraymond, My phone book is only 3/8 of and inch thick.---so that wouldn't amount to much tilting

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