New to incubation and hatching

[Shaun89174]

So me and my wife have decided to try our hand at keeping chickens. We have been railroaded by the children into getting 6 hatching eggs. We have bought 6 auto sexing hybrid brown eggs and there currently resting at room temp. Due to set tomorrow morning. As we know it that will be day 5. Currently our home made incubator (cardboard box) is sat at 37.6 but we're struggling with the humidity. We have one of those Chinese tubs with a sponge filled with water but are struggling to get it above 40%. We used cold water... Should we have used warm? Any other help advice or tips. Throw them our way. We'd really appreciate it at this minute.

 

[Poultrykeeper12]

Alright, So normally you use warm water for incubation. Wet wash clothes work best with incubation also. Good luck! and happy hatching!

 

[Shaun89174]

Forgive me what do you mean by wet wash clothes? Face cloth? Flannel?

 

[Poultrykeeper12]

Forgive me what do you mean by wet wash clothes? Face cloth? Flannel?

I apologize, I meant wet dish cloths. Face clothes would also work well.

 

[cmom]

So me and my wife have decided to try our hand at keeping chickens. We have been railroaded by the children into getting 6 hatching eggs. We have bought 6 auto sexing hybrid brown eggs and there currently resting at room temp. Due to set tomorrow morning. As we know it that will be day 5. Currently our home made incubator (cardboard box) is sat at 37.6 but we're struggling with the humidity. We have one of those Chinese tubs with a sponge filled with water but are struggling to get it above 40%. We used cold water... Should we have used warm? Any other help advice or tips. Throw them our way. We'd really appreciate it at this minute.

I wouldn't worry about your humidity. My best hatches have been when I have incubated around 40% on the humidity. I use warm water. Good luck and have fun...

 

[Shaun89174]

I wouldn't worry about your humidity. My best hatches have been when I have incubated around 40% on the humidity. I use warm water. Good luck and have fun...

Thank you for your reply. I'm pretty sure we're going to be having alot of fun in the next few weeks and months

 

[Shaun89174]

So last night (we're in England) the anticipation got the better of us.

After reading various stories about resting eggs etc and the varying times suggested we decided that after 8 hours on the counter top at room temp we decided to add them into the incubator.

Initially the incubator went from our steady 37.6 down to 34.9. Before we went to bed last night it had climbed back to 36.5. This morning we've came down and its still at 36.5. Would this still be an acceptable temperature for them to be at for the first critical hours in the incubator. I've stuck some tape over a couple of the holes and it's steady climbing into the 37's now. Just hope we arnt dead before we've started.

 

[cmom]

The embryos are pretty resilient. They should be ok. When the temperature runs a bit low, the eggs may take a day or two longer to hatch and if the temperature runs a little high they may hatch a day or two early. Again, good luck and have fun...

 

[Shaun89174]

The embryos are pretty resilient. They should be ok. When the temperature runs a bit low, the eggs may take a day or two longer to hatch and if the temperature runs a little high they may hatch a day or two early. Again, good luck and have fun...

Thanks. We've covered up a couple of the vent holes (still a fair few) that has been enough to drag us into the 37's now. Just give them their second turn. We're aiming for 3 a day

 

[cmom]