New to incubation HELP

[Chipmunk Chicks]

If you're serious about getting into hatching, you may want to get a regulator that plugs into any fridge and will let you adjust the temperature. You can add a little dish of water to bring the humidity up in there as well, and that way you can maintain ideal storage conditions a bit longer. The biggest problem in storing eggs longer than 7-10 days I believe, is that most people don't have an ideal storage environment to keep them stable. You want to shoot for 55*F and 75% humidity, if you can. Store the eggs pointy end down, and lift the opposite end of the carton 3-5 times a day... Or not lol apparently some people don't tilt them at all during storage and it's fine? I'm sure you'll find what works for you as you go. So exciting!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...-and-handling-of-chicken-hatching-eggs.76226/

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01HXM5UAC?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

 

[Yardmom]

The level you want to keep humidity at can vary with your environment. I noticed in your empty run you had humidity between 50 and 60. That is a bit high for the first days of incubation when the eggs should loose moisture. 35-45 is what I aim for. At lock down I up it to around 65.

 

[Huntmaster]

Definitely get separate calibrated thermometer and hygrometer the ones on incubator are not very accurate as on most incubators and I know they are not on this type. I have 3 of that type and each vary from 1 to 3 degrees from actual. And humidity can vary from 5 to 20 percent from actual. And it will have hot and cold spots as most do but if you use calibrated thermometers and hygrometer, you can get very good hatches. Mine do hold temps well but you need to be sure your temps and humidity is accurate. I always remove the red vent caps and never use them letting as much oxygen enter as possible and adjust humidity with water surface area/using only as many water channels in bottom as needed. It's not the amount of water in channels it's the number of channels used giving more water surface area that raises humidity. And after removing turner for lockdown Its best to add a rubber shelf liner or cheese cloth over plastic grate on bottom as it can be slippery for hatchlings causing leg issues/splay leg. I use both 1 layer of cheese cloth under thin rubber shelf liner on bottom over grate, cheese cloth keeps hatching gunk from falling through fouling Styrofoam incubator and makes for much easier cleaning and keeping gunk from penetrating Styrofoam. Just some helpful hints on using so you don't have a bad experience. Good Luck, incubating and hatching can be a very enjoyable family experience. Just trying to make yours the most enjoyable as can be and as few mistakes as possible, and not trying to overwhelm you or make you think the incubator is no good. I have used mine and other incubators for years just some useful advice. There are some very knowledgeable folks on BYC so don't be afraid to ask questions. Enjoy and best of luck

 

[4th generation farmer]

Definitely get separate calibrated thermometer and hygrometer the ones on incubator are not very accurate as on most incubators and I know they are not on this type. I have 3 of that type and each vary from 1 to 3 degrees from actual. And humidity can vary from 5 to 20 percent from actual. And it will have hot and cold spots as most do but if you use calibrated thermometers and hygrometer, you can get very good hatches. Mine do hold temps well but you need to be sure your temps and humidity is accurate. I always remove the red vent caps and never use them letting as much oxygen enter as possible and adjust humidity with water surface area/using only as many water channels in bottom as needed. It's not the amount of water in channels it's the number of channels used giving more water surface area that raises humidity. And after removing turner for lockdown Its best to add a rubber shelf liner or cheese cloth over plastic grate on bottom as it can be slippery for hatchlings causing leg issues/splay leg. I use both 1 layer of cheese cloth under thin rubber shelf liner on bottom over grate, cheese cloth keeps hatching gunk from falling through fouling Styrofoam incubator and makes for much easier cleaning and keeping gunk from penetrating Styrofoam. Just some helpful hints on using so you don't have a bad experience. Good Luck, incubating and hatching can be a very enjoyable family experience. Just trying to make yours the most enjoyable as can be and as few mistakes as possible, and not trying to overwhelm you or make you think the incubator is no good. I have used mine and other incubators for years just some useful advice. There are some very knowledgeable folks on BYC so don't be afraid to ask questions. Enjoy and best of luck

Wow that was extremely informative and highly appreciated..,my egg turner doesn't come out tho...socould I put a folded towel in it maybe onto of the egg turner during lockdown or not...bc I don't want it to start smelling funky...

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

Wow that was extremely informative and highly appreciated..,my egg turner doesn't come out tho...socould I put a folded towel in it maybe onto of the egg turner during lockdown or not...bc I don't want it to start smelling funky...

You may want to check the features and see if there is a way to shut off / disable the turner. Mine has a separate plug for that so I can just kill the power.

 

[4th generation farmer]

You may want to check the features and see if there is a way to shut off / disable the turner. Mine has a separate plug for that so I can just kill the power.

It does I have to unplug the bottome portion from the outlet...so would a towel being laid over the egg turner be ok or would it affect the humidity during lockdown

 

[Chipmunk Chicks]

It does I have to unplug the bottome portion from the outlet...so would a towel being laid over the egg turner be ok or would it affect the humidity during lockdown

Most people use more like a shelf liner.

 

[Huntmaster]

,my egg turner doesn't come out tho..

Your egg turner does come out it is just sitting in incubator. It may be a little tight fitting, but it is made to be removable. Just ease it straight up and it will come out just be easy with the Styrofoam. After a few times of removing, it will get easier.

 

[Sunshinechickies]

Hello, I hope your hatch is going well. Just wanted to say that I have that incubator and every fertile egg I incubated has hatched and survived, and I have done 2 batches. Hope everything works out great for you!

 

[LaylaJane]

be sure to warm eggs to room temp before setting.

This is worth caps! I've been reading in several places (kinda got rabbit holed) and alot of people think they can just take the eggs straight out of Trader Joes coolers and plop them into an invubator and viola!