New to hatching...Hova-Bator 1583. Crash course needed.

[TripMomma]

Hi guys! I have been away from this board for a while, been mostly on the FB version. We started out with wanting 3 chickens a year ago. Since then our 3 grew in a big way, I now have about 20 chickens, a house on 10 acres and a horse, pigs, rabbits and goats. Chicken math worked hard and fast on me

My hubby surprised me with an incubator for Valentine's Day. I set it up yesterday to let it run for a bit. My temp has been a very steady 100 degrees. My humidity has been pretty steady at 48-49%. I did fill one of the bottom trays with water...as the directions said. It has an egg turner.

Are these levels OK...should I go ahead and put eggs in it? I'm only getting 9-11 eggs a day, can I save tomorrows eggs and add them to the next days then start? Our fertility has been good, made French Toast the other night, used a dozen eggs and all 12 had a bullseye. TIA!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi guys! I have been away from this board for a while, been mostly on the FB version. We started out with wanting 3 chickens a year ago. Since then our 3 grew in a big way, I now have about 20 chickens, a house on 10 acres and a horse, pigs, rabbits and goats. Chicken math worked hard and fast on me

My hubby surprised me with an incubator for Valentine's Day. I set it up yesterday to let it run for a bit. My temp has been a very steady 100 degrees. My humidity has been pretty steady at 48-49%. I did fill one of the bottom trays with water...as the directions said. It has an egg turner.

Are these levels OK...should I go ahead and put eggs in it? I'm only getting 9-11 eggs a day, can I save tomorrows eggs and add them to the next days then start? Our fertility has been good, made French Toast the other night, used a dozen eggs and all 12 had a bullseye. TIA!

Personally I prefer running low humidity incubation the first 17 days, especially in the styros and monitoring the air cells as explained in this method: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity I don't like humidity over 40% personally.

As for eggs you can collect eggs for (most people recommend no more than) a week to ten days. Store them in a carton under 70F. Now some people insist that you should turn them or tilt them while in storage like you would during incubation and others suggest it's not neccessary. I do NOT suggest running staggered hatches and adding to the bator after you've started incubation. Not that it can't be done but you're asking for more of a headache and less than ideal environment for the total sum of your eggs.

Hovabators are good styros the 1583 and the 1588 are the two I m looking at to upgrade to. (I use an old LG9200 so anything is an upgrade...lol)

 

[TripMomma]

Thanks so much for the reply.

How does one lower humidity? Try to get some water out? Get all the water out and just toss in a damp sponge instead of putting water in the tray?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks so much for the reply.

How does one lower humidity? Try to get some water out? Get all the water out and just toss in a damp sponge instead of putting water in the tray?

You're welcome. I run dry if my bator stays above 25% (I prefer 30%). If it doesn't I add a wet sponge and don't fool with the water wells till lockdown. Humidity is adjusted by surface area of water. Decrease the amount of surface area and you reduce the humidity. Depth doesn't change humidity. Just make sure if you run dry that you check your air cells to make sure they don't grow too big too fast.

 

[TripMomma]

Perfect, I will sop up the water and run it for another day dry before adding eggs. So I'm looking for 30% humidity?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Perfect, I will sop up the water and run it for another day dry before adding eggs. So I'm looking for 30% humidity?

That's what I found works the best for me and many others have better results at that level, but the key is to check the air cells at least at days 7/14/18 to verify the air cells are on track.

 

[TripMomma]

OK thanks. I did save a copy of that air sack drawing so I can check it out. I appreciate all the help.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

OK thanks. I did save a copy of that air sack drawing so I can check it out. I appreciate all the help.

You're welcome. Good luck!