New to incubating eggs

[PEI chicken]

Hi

I am going to set some eggs in an old round styrofoam incubator that was last used in the 1980s. It is a still air incubator and I have plugged it in and it is keeping a steady temperature of 103 degrees (thermometer is on a raised base). Is this too hot? I could lower the temperature with the wing nut on the top.

I plan to "wing it" without a hygrometer (plan to fill the bottom rings with water).

If anyone is using a similar still air incubator, I would welcome your tips. My silver pencilled plymouth rocks are laying well and I can't wait to see new babies.

Thank you.

 

[Illia]

Still Air -

If it has been reliable in the past, sure, but if it is unused or something, I'd be iffy on a good hatch.


103 is indeed too hot, you may want to reduce it by 2-4 degrees.

for a good hatch though!

 

[PEI chicken]

Okay. I'll turn the heat down to stabilize at 101 degrees. The old printed instructions that I have said 103 degrees, but that seemed too hot to me too.

Thank you.

 

[CCourson05]

I go for 100. And if you open the incubator a lot when they start hatching, it is helpful to have a hygrometer, but that is all I ever use mine for.