Nervous - first timer

[cqranch]

Reading some of these posts about bad hatches has really got me nervous now. I'm picking up a dozen Barnevelder eggs this weekend to incubate, plus will be doing some of my own. Any advice?

 

[justusnak]

The best advice I can give you is....get the bator regulated...let the eggs rest 24 hrs, if shipped....get them in the bator...watch the temps...but DONT TOUCH...and walk away. lol I wish you a brooder full of warm fuzzies.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

Just relax

What kind of incubator are u using? The good thing is you said you were picking them up? So there will be NO shipping? You will prob see a really good hatch rate in that case

Good luck and keep us posted and share pics with us later

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Yes - resist the temptation to open the incubator because you will throw off your temps and humidity. Use a turner if at all possible so you don't have to open.

Get it up and running a day ahead of time; you'll need to adjust the temp probably after you put the eggs in. Once you get it going, if using a turner, FORGET ABOUT IT!!!!

And most of all, GOOD LUCK AND HAVE FUN!!!!!

 

[MandyH]

NOT OPENING THE INCUBATOR cannot, repeat cannot be streesed enough. The ONLY time you need to be in that incubator is to add water or throw away a stinky egg. Resist the urge to open it at all costs. Also, as stated in another post, get your incubator temp where it needs to be and DO NOT adjust the temps. If it is stable before the eggs are added, it will re adjust itself after the eggs are added.

 

[terrif]

Hi All. I'm interested in the comments here, as I'm a newby working on my second hatch. The first one didn't go so well. They should have hatched this past weekend, but to date I don't have anything. I had 33 eggs in the incubator, 29 guinea, 3 peafowl and one goose. The guinea were local, peafowl shipped, and goose semi-local. This incubator was located in the garage, so maybe temperature fluctuations were a problem. But at the time it seemed so much better than being in the house where the temp is so much cooler.

So now I've started my second batch. 66 eggs total. I bought a new Brower Top hatch incubator, got the temp ready, let them set for 24 hours (they were all shipped), and set them on Sunday, 8/24.

Since I was so unsuccessful with the first batch, I'm a bit worried about the second batch. I thought with higher numbers I could at least get a couple birds!!

The bator does have a turner, but can't get the humidity above 50%. That's the only time I've opened it, to put the water in. Its located in the basement, where the temp is about 72. I did put a blanket around it to help keep it warm. At least this is only a 21 days wait instead of 28!!

I want babies!

 

[MandyH]

You don't need a blanket around the incubator. The eggs have to have air to develop so I would say remove the blanket, but that's my 2 cents.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I agree - Remove the blanket. Best to keep it where there is very little temperature fluctuation from the outside air and let the incubator do the work. Mine work best in the basement.

For days 1-18, you want the humidity to be lower. I like to keep mine between 40-45%; others say 45-50%. Once you take them off the turner on day 18, that's when you crank up the humidity to 65%. Sometimes in order to get it that high, you have to put a piece of wet sponge with a paper towel over it in the bator - that's what I do.

Good luck!

 

[coloradochick]

You'll have to keep us posted during this hatch on your temps and how well they were stable for you. I'm on my second hatch (day 18) with the Brower and again on day 15 my temps spiked to 108 (111 last hatch with no babies) I finally got the temp to go down and now it's hovering at 95. I know that's too low but I don't want to mess with it too much for fear of a spike again. I hope you have better luck with yours

here's some good hatching vibes flying your way

 

[deerman]

Temp. up to 111, most if not all will be bad. Sorry, check and see if any are still alive..


The top hatch if I remember, does use a blanket sometimes.

Not here to knock any incubator, but alot of newbe use the Styrofoam incubator,and with these the room temp.and room Humidity very very important. Keep them out of sunlght(even coming thru a window) With these you do need to be carefull opening them.as it takes so long to get both temp.and humidity back up.
Also force or still air incubator, temps. are not the same. 101 at top of eggs on still air(no fan). 99.5 on force air(with fan).
Now with some of the others opening them is no big deal. Sometime it even helps, change of air!!!

Temp. and humidity will be back up in no time.

As you see if you see info on here, ITS NOT the same for all incubators.

Best 10.00 you can spend, Walmart sells a humidity monitor by acurite records daily high & low for both temp.& humidity.Plus display both present reading. Goes inside the incubators.