Need some info.

[FatTom]

I am trying to start my first hatch. I bought a Little Giant incubator. The question I have is can I start eggs that have been in my fridge or is there there a set temp they can't get below? I forgot to say I have a rooster 10 hens and get 6-7 eggs a day but still can't always get out to get them before they get cold. So only 3 or so are still warm. I have read on BYC that most hatches you only get 50-75% of your eggs to hatch well if I can only get 3 eggs my odds aren't good. So is there a way to keep the eggs I do get warm till ready to incubate? Any help would be great.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Good luck keeping a stable temp with that Little Giant incubator. Eggs do not have to be warm in order to incubate. I usually gather for a week or two depending on what I want. Just store the eggs at room temperature until you have all you want to set in the bator. Eggs can stay fresh at room temperature for a couple-three weeks. I have hatched eggs from the fridge with no problem as long as it isn't so cold in there that the egg freezes. For your first hatch I strongly advise you to use cheap, free, or your own eggs. Again, I wish you luck getting that LG bator to do anything consistent, especially the temperature. It will behave best in a location where the temperature in the room doesn't change and its not messed with much. I recommend adding some kind of knob or handle to the temperature control dial. It's very touchy. I stuck the short end of an allen wrench in mine so I could make minor adjustments in temperature. I'm assuming you know about turning the eggs during incubation and all the necessities of lockdown.

 

[FatTom]

Yeah I have been reading as much as I can on the subject from BYC and the web. And I have read alot about the incubator I have and think I have a good place to set it that should stay pretty stable on temp and have told my girls not to touch so we will see. Thank you for the info.

 

[wowmanacat]

This first time I hatched I only had 2 or 3 eggs a day that I was getting from my hens. I would gather them daily and put them in a basked till I had enough to hatch. I think I started with 18 and had 13 of them hatch, that was after they sat at room temp for like three of for days. You can let eggs sit up to 10 days ans still hatch them, Just sit them in a a place where you can turn them once or twice a day.

 

[FatTom]

Thanks for to info all. I have since started 29 eggs. I have candeled and from the looks of it so far all but 4 look good. One had a blood ring and I took it out the other three look to be yokers but I will keep them a few more days and check again to be sure. My incubator is actually holding the temp at 99-100. The only thing I have is to keep the humidity up I had to put the plug i took out back in and it only gets to around 40-43%. Will keep posting as I go. Again thank you for the info.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

40% humidity is good for first 18 days then you want it up to 60%. I'm itching to hatch again too. Waiting for the Easter hatch, trying to anyway, already collecting the eggs from the two girls I want to breed.

 

[FatTom]

Yeah I read that on a post on BYC I just have to figure out how to get it up those last three days. Right now I have both plugs in my bator and I can't get it to go any higher. I have both trays filled with water and the humidity in my house is only around 16%, would putting more water in the bator help or less water. I really can't find anything to say what to do to get it up more.

 

[FatTom]

Update I am expecting little ones anyday now. I have staggerd hatches so my first due on 12th. I started with 29 and am down to 28 so far after candeling at least 18 are still growing.



Update: So far only 3. Had 4 but one died in shell didn't realize it needed help it started out going good then this morning no more movement so checked and was dead.

 

[FatTom]

I guess I jinxed myself, the whole counting your chickens before they hatch. Well still have 4 more days and 8 more eggs so hopefully a few more will hatch.

 

[FatTom]

Update : only 1 of the last 8 hatched, so grand total of 4 chicks out of 28. Did eggtopsy and all but 2 had developed chicks so don't know what happened.