Need Help

[need help]

I am awaiting my first 6 fertilized eggs. I bought a cheap incubator just for starters. I'm nervous and don't want to kill any of my eggs. I know it's a reality, but what else can I do? Am I better off building an incubator myself? I need a quick fix if that is the case because the eggs are on their way. Can anyone help?

My email is [email protected] if you want to email instead.

Rob

 

[Blue EE]

Hey. Cheap incubators are just a bit more challenging. I am just finishing a hatch with a Little Giant incubator. Search that topic and you can see all the suggestions people have put up to help minimize the issues. Extra thermometers are help full as hot and cooler spots occur inside the bator. Some suggest wrapping it in a blanket to minimize temp change.., An egg turner was one upgrade I was happy with as opening to turn eggs caused big temp swings. A fan was another upgrade. If you are capable of building one you still cant do better than 99.5F and 50% humidity for the first 18 days. See what yours will do. Plug it in and watch it hold temp and humidity. Search incubators. They all have a heat source and insulation which your bator must have. See what improvements you can come up with and share your thoughts. Others will jump in and help. Your limiting factor is time. If those eggs are coming you must be ready.

 

[fried green eggs]

Have you already started this cheap incubator? Still Air type or with a fan? Most take 24-48 hours for temps to stabilize. Shipped eggs? Many people on here recommend letting eggs sit in a open egg carton for air for 12-24 hours before putting them into incubator. I let my last shipped eggs sit for almost 30 hours in the carton (flat on counter for 12 hours then I elevated one end for 8 hours and then other end for next 8 hours. Letting shipped eggs sit is needed to stabilize air-sack. ***Don't trust just one thermometer and or hygrometer in your incubator. Go to a pet store and pick up a couple glass aquarium type thermometers and reptile hygrometer. See if they read the same in the store on the shelf. Still air incubator ? Add a computer fan.

 

[need help]

Haven't started it yet but I will now. I know about letting them sit, but I was going to let sit 24 hours. Yes, it is a still air incubator. Eggs are being shipped, on their way. Plymouth rock eggs.

 

[fried green eggs]

I'm new at this but, I have had 3 successful hatches70% - 100% of the eggs that were fertile. I would let these shipped eggs sit until you add a small computer fan and have temp in bator stable. Auto turner helps so you don't have to open the bator 3-4X a day. You can store them in 50 to 65 degs If you need more time to get bator ready. I collected eggs for 5 days from my chickens to do my first hatch in bators I made out of igloo coolers. I put them in my basement b/c it's 62 deg all the time. I added a damp washcloth to up humidity I just had them in a closed egg carton and rotated 1X a day. I just propped up one end and the next day I would prop up other end. I then set them next to bator for 8 hrs with the egg carton open before I put them in bator to bring them up to that rooms temp. I used a auto-turner and All of them hatched on day 20 b/c temp had been a deg to high even though thermo said 99.5.
My 2nd hatch was 9 shipped BR I hatched 6 chicks and believe I could have had 100% if, I had let them sit longer before putting in bator. I read a report that said hatch rate for stored (50-65 deg) eggs for 5 days had no adverse effects. Just food for thought so, you don't feel so rushed. Good Luck and I hope you have a great hatch !

I just finished my 3rd hatch 14 Orps I drove 3hrs to pick up 3 not fertile, one died day 10-15? but I wasn't pos. so it went into lock-down 10 eggs hatched. 3 I helped hatch but, all doing well in brooder.