looking back at my first hatching experience

[tcal]

First of all, I should have waited and put all my eggs in at one time instead of staggering by 3 days. Lesson learned.

Every now and then there is a temperature fluxuation, I don't really know why, but I stressed over it too much.

It's hard to leave it alone.

When its all over the 'bator doesn't smell very good.

Finally.........man, isn't it amazing!

 

[marytoast]

Amen!

 

[Chicken Woman]

I sterilize my bator with bleach and water. I wipe down everything that goes in the bator hygrometor.thermometors,water wiggler etc. Then rinse well and put in son to dry.

Hatching can be stressful but i believe that as long as you get temps and hum regulated for about 4 days before putting eggs in you should do well. Part of the problem in peoples temp spikes etc. is the fluuation in the room temp. I have a thermostaiclly controlled heater in the room that comes on if the room goes below 70. I also keep a humidifier going so the room is about 50 %. This has helped me with most problems.
I also believe the less intervention the better.