Just put 4 eggs in the incubator, now what?

[15shenyl]

I put 4 eggs in the incubator today and this is my first time hatching. I would like a few tips please? Also, can you turn an egg too much? I feel like my egg turner isn't really turning the eggs so I go in every once in a while to push the cycle button again, is that ok? Also, I have no idea how the humidity levels work. Right now I think I have the screw on the bottle half way but I have no idea what the humidity levels are to be at. Any info about anything I should know would be highly welcome too.

 

[The Chickeneer]

Hey, glad to hear we have another egg hatcher here.

Im not sure what kind of incubator or turner you have, but the egg turner should turn the eggs automatically, so there really is no need for you to do it. Egg turners tilt the egg side to side about 4 times every hour, so it goes really slow and you can't see it moving, but if you can hear the slight hum of the motor, then it is working just fine.

The humidity can be very tricky, people like to set it to their own preference, but its typicaly at around 45% to 50% the first 18 days and raised to 65% to 75% the last three days. They need the higher humidity the last three days to help them hatch easier, also take out their turner and lay them on their side and don't turn them the last three days, so they can position themselves right for hatching. To keep track of humidity, you can buy a hyrometer, they usually sell them at hardware stores and pet stores.

 

[15shenyl]

I was wondering what the temp should be. Mine is an old turn-x from 1994 and it does everything automatically but the thermometer reads 110 and than cools down to about 98 than goes back up again. Is that ok, I know I shouldn't worry because everything is automatic but I just really don't know.

 

[missnu01]

I think a steady 100 degrees is the way to go, and I think the humidity should be in the 20s range or so until lockdown. I got a nifty wireless thing that I put this sensor thing I. Wherever I want the temp of, like one outside in my brooder with the display in my room so I can keep a check on the temp, then I got another one that does humidity and temp and put the sensor in the incubator, and the display right beside my bed, that way I can keep check all the time

 

[Mavrik]

Anything above 103° will kill the embryo, you need to give that attention ASAP. Still air should be 102°, with a fan 99.5°.

Eggs should be turned 4-6 times a day.

60-62% RH then 70% RH at hatch.

A must have book; Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow

 

[missnu01]

That humidity for early hatch sounds too high to me, but I don't know all that much

 

[Bill 101]

A Turn-X that varies that much in temperature has something wrong. It should keep temperatures at 99 to 100 degrees with ease. The water bottle is how you adjust humidity, & with the adjustment screw half way, is probably wrong. The turner on them turns eggs every hour & there is no reason to push the cycle button.

The unit should have come with 2 thermometers in it. One would be for reading temperature & the other would be for reading humidity. The humidity one is know as a wet bulb, meaning that it has a wick that comes up from the water cavities & attaches to the thermometer. The reading you should have for incubating should be 87 Degrees Wet Bulb. That translates into 50% humidity. To get that reading you need to start with the adjustment screw all the way up[ against the bottle base & then turn it raising the bottle a bit at a time till you get the proper humidity reading you wish to use

To be brutally honest, I think that this hatch attempt is over. The 110 degrees you say it runs will have more than likely destroyed the eggs.

You need to start over. Set up the incubator so temperature is 99-100 degrees & humidity is 50%. A good Turn-X will maintain that temp & humidity forever once it properly set. Once you get that completed & the incubator is stable you can add eggs

 

[aart]

Would be good to run the incubator without eggs for a few days and work the glitches out!

 

[Bill 101]

aart - good suggestion on most incubators, it's always a good idea to work out the glitches, but in this case the unit has a bad heat adjustment. In technical terms its called a potentiometer Its the dial on the top of the dome where you adjust the temperature. It works the same as a light dimmer, you increase the current going to a light bulb to increase light output, or decrease the current to the bulb, which decreases light output.

I've owned Turn-X incubators for 40 years & have done my share of repair work, including changing the potentiometer. These units when running properly are the most accurate incubators you can buy. they will maintain temps to within 1/2 degree. that & the fact that humidity can be controlled EXACTLY & you have an incubator that hatches every fertile egg you put it on day 21. Can you tell I kinda like them

 

[mkeawsh]

Anything above 103° will kill the embryo, you need to give that attention ASAP. Still air should be 102°, with a fan 99.5°.

Eggs should be turned 4-6 times a day.

60-62% RH then 70% RH at hatch.

A must have book; Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens by Gail Damerow

Did you get these numbers for temperature and humidity from her book? I had a terrible hatch last month. The chicks were so big they could not hatch out. I was trying to figure out what the problem was. My temp. was between 101 and 102 but the humidity was higher than you suggest.