Need some help! Newbie at incubating!

[CranberryCreekFarm]

Just picked up my Little Giant incubator at tractor supply today!

very excited. I do not have the automatic turner, but since I am a Stay at home mom, I thought I'd try hand turning. Marked my eggs with x's and o's and the date i collected them. I have 2 that I gathered today that are in there now. WHat is the ideal temperature? How do I keep humidity levels high enough? Can I add an egg or 2 every day out of my daily egg collections? Will turning 3-4 x's daily be good enough? My children are so excited I really would feel bad if this didn't work. Please help!


- Also, Can I put a carton, basket, etc inside to hold the eggs in place to prevent them from rolling....something so they wont get jossled too much while I am getting the incubator off the shelf. I don't want something to catch on fire or melt lol

 

[loot4louie]

Im no expert, but I read a alot!! I am guessing it is a still air? Check out Chookschick she has a great cheat sheet!! If it is still air,

1. Take eggs out, turn on and dry run it for several days. The temp should be 101 on top of eggs in a still air. Dont mess with temp to much, it has to stabalize. There are many theories on humidity days 1-18. I am following Chookschicks dry incubation this time. I would read up on different threads to choose.

2. You can collect eggs and sit out at room temp to collect them. I have read that after 8-10 days fertility can drop, but others have said they used 14 day old eggs no prob. This way you can set a bunch of eggs on the same day, and lockdown all the eggs on day 18.

3. Yes you can sit in cartons I have read. Some people even prop up one side of the incubator and then the other instead of turning by hand. The eggs just need to rock left or right, a few times a day. I use a turner so I have not tried this- but the turner is sooooo slow you cant even see it move them, so I know its more of a rock /tilt than true turn.

4. I use 3 thermometers in mine and a hygrometer. Be sure to calibrate the hygrometer if you use one. There are threads on that as well. I dont let humidity below 20% even with a dry hatch. Then it gets upped to 65%-70% roughly at lockdown/hatch time. I killed almost a whole batch last year with an uncalibrated hygrometer and way high humidities- I learned the hard way that high humidity is far worse than low. Here in NJ we have humidity nauturally, desert areas may be different I would guess?

5. Have fun and enjoy being nuerotic for 21 or so days I just set Thurs and Fri so I am on full nuerotic mode

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

Thanks so much!

 

[artathart]

You shouldnt add a egg or two unless you have a second incubator you can use as a brooder. Once you go into lockdown you wont be able to open the incubator for 3 days and if eggs hatch on top of other eggs that are going into lockdown, they can get contaminated plus you would have to open the incubator as each batch of eggs was going into lockdown. If that makes sense.

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

I took the eggs out last night and am collecting and storing them on my counter. Really hope I'm storing them right!

 

[ajacskr]

Just remember pointed end goes down. Try "HOLDING" the eggs in a carton and remember that even while holding to go into the incubator you still need to raise the end of the egg carton a couple of inches each day, making sure to alternate ends. This will help with keeping the eggs from sticking.

Good luck with your hatch.

 

[CranberryCreekFarm]

Quote:
Thank you!