New to hatching and incubating need advice

[Toxicity 321]

Hi ok so I am new to this whole hatching and incubating, but I have some questions .

1. If my hen isn't sitting on her eggs are they fertile?
2. Eggs are cold when I collect them from the nest do they have to stay the same temp at all times?
3. How to tell if the egg is fertilized ?
4. What is the best humidity for the egg in an incubator ?
5. How do you do the incubating?
6. Do you rotate the egg and how often?
7. Any other advice would be AWESOME.

 

[R2elk]

Hi ok so I am new to this whole hatching and incubating, but I have some questions .

1. If my hen isn't sitting on her eggs are they fertile?

A hen not sitting on her eggs means she is not broody. It does not mean anything as to whether or not the egg is fertile.

2. Eggs are cold when I collect them from the nest do they have to stay the same temp at all times?

It depends on what you plan on doing with the eggs.

3. How to tell if the egg is fertilized ?

http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/16008/how-to-tell-a-fertile-vs-infertile-egg-pictures

4. What is the best humidity for the egg in an incubator ?
5. How do you do the incubating?
6. Do you rotate the egg and how often?
7. Any other advice would be AWESOME.

Read Hatching Eggs 101 by @Sally Sunshine

 

[Weeg]

@MGG you can answer these questions.

 

[MGG]

Hi ok so I am new to this whole hatching and incubating, but I have some questions .

1. If my hen isn't sitting on her eggs are they fertile?
2. Eggs are cold when I collect them from the nest do they have to stay the same temp at all times?
3. How to tell if the egg is fertilized ?
4. What is the best humidity for the egg in an incubator ?
5. How do you do the incubating?
6. Do you rotate the egg and how often?
7. Any other advice would be AWESOME.

1. If you have a rooster and you have the correct roo to hen ratio all of your eggs will be fertile.
2. X2 with R2elk, it depends on what you want to do with them. If you're hatching them they'll be fine, but it's best to collect them asap if you want to hatch them so they don't get dirty or too hot/cold. Hatching eggs should be kept at room temp pointy end down in an egg carton until they go in the incubator.
3. Either incubate the eggs for 5-6 days then candle, or crack open an egg and look for the blastoderm, indicating fertility. You can post pics of the yolk, and we'll tell you if it's fertile. You obviously will not be able to incubate the cracked egg, but if that one is fertile the rest should be too.
4. It depends on your elevation, the porosity of the eggs, the species of the embryos, (ducks require higher humidity, for example) etc. You'll have to experiment and see what's best for you by weighing your eggs throughout incubation, and watching air cells. I keep humidity at 45% until lockdown, because that's what works best for me. Then 70% at lockdown no matter what.
5. What kind of incubator do you have? Calibrate a thermometer, and salt test a hydrometer to make sure your temp/humidity is accurate before setting the eggs. R2elk linked a good article for your other incubation questions though.
6. Your incubator may do it automatically, but yes, all eggs need to be rotated until lockdown. I do 5 times a day the first week, and 3 times a day from then until lockdown. Always an odd amount of turns, it's bad for them to sit on the same side each night. Make sure you turn alternating directions if you have to manually turn. Like at 9 a.m. turn to the right a half turn, then at 12 p.m. turn to the left a half turn, etc. Mark an X on one side and an O on the opposite side.
7. I think I covered all of your questions. Feel free to ask any more though. Good luck! What breed of chicks will you be hatching?