Just started my first batch of eggs....a few questions

[Teresa La]

Hi there, this is my first experience with hatching chick eggs...well really anything to do with chickens for that matter. I have wanted to raise chickens for a long time now but didn't think I could.
Anyways, I just have a few questions. I just started my first batch of eggs 4 days ago. We had to make our own incubator since the only feed store around here didn't carry any. What I want to know is what should the temp really be in there? I have read anywhere from 99.5 to 102. Since there is no fan in there I know it needs to be a little higher, but there really doesn't seem to be one set answer. Am I right? Oh, and humidity. Is it supposed to be at 50% for the first 18 days and then 70 %? Right now the temp is 101 and the humidity is 53%, is that ok?
I just want to make sure that i'm doing this right since I have 5 children watching alongside of me that will be heartbroken if we don't get at least one chick out of this.
One last question. About candling, what am I supposed to look for. The kids have been begging us to see inside but we just don't know what to look for so we have been putting them off. Hubby made some kind of contraption for us when we're ready that you put the egg over. We looked at all of them before we put them in the incubator but we didn't see anything. Oh, I have all brown eggs and light green egg. That will make it more difficult to see, right?
Thanks so much!

 

[Malibufarmer]

u have got it down.
u wanna look of viens witch look like spyder webs also look for the chicks eye during candleing.
good luck

 

[Teresa La]

So I should be able to see that now or should I wait a few more days?
Oh and thanks, i'll need all the luck I can get.

 

[chrissieg]

The instructions that came with my incubator said to candle at day 10.
By waiting you will definately be able to see which ones are fertile even with coloured eggs. Have a box handy for the rejects! It's good to have a 'control' egg straight from the 'fridge to compare with.
Good luck

it can be a lot of fun (or not) depending on the hatch, but we are all here to help!

 

[jimnjay]

One other thing you might want to consider, with the still air incubators you often are advised to move the eggs around in new positions within the incubator when you turn them. Sill air units have cool and hot spots so this will help equalize it. 101.5 is recommended. When in doubt go lower. I would stick with 101 as some thermometers don't have the decimal. Spike do occur so err on the side of cooler. When I used my still air all the hatches were early, day 19, which indicates it was to warm. Thermometers vary radically,unfortunately, so if may have really been the thermometer or just the hot spots.