newbie at incubating, I have ?'s

[silkieflock]

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I have 18 eggs in the incubator. They are a mix I got from my uncle yesterday. I have no idea how many of each i have . They were not even sure what one of their hens were. I don't know off the top of my head.

 

[silkieflock]

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BTW...are you using a still-air or forced-air incubator???

What about you, silkieflock??? Which one???

Ed

I made the gopher-bator on byc. I found out my thermostat doesn't work so I have to do it manually. I think I can get the temp. and humidity dialed in pretty close today. I got the temp back to 99.5 and humidity to 46% and it is holding.

 

[thechickonthehill]

I do have a fan in my incubator (mine is modeled after GopherBoyFarms' too). The temp has finally settled - its bottoming out at 99.1 and topping at 100.1 and my humidity is staying between 35 and 40%. I don't think I'm going to get it any closer than that so I'm putting eggs in later this evening.

 

[thechickonthehill]

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[silkieflock]

I got a new thermostat today and got the temp under control but there is a big swing in temp variance. What is the lowest safe temp i can have?

 

[smallbluejellybean]

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Hi I have had my still air home made incubator for a while and hatched canaries. I am now attempting button quail.
Do not have a thermastat.
I have found a great way to reduce humidity.
I use a clear take away container for the water. You can see how much water you have in there. Also if the humidity goes up just cut up some new, clean house hold sponges and put them in the water. It reduces the humidity and keeps it on an equal keal.
I descovered this with my canaries when reading about incubation somewhere.
All I can say it really works.

Also with your temp you need to take three readings just before you turn the eggs. I take one at the bottom, one at egg level and one at the top and calculate the average temp.
Because still air incubators don't circulate air, the average needs to be calculated to get an accurate ambiet temperature.

I hope I helped a little, but once you get it going and understand the concept it works quite well. Not excellent, but you will get some good results.

Nearly all of my last lot of canaries hatched.

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:

Your first statement just tripped a breaker in my brain.

As for your question...I wouldn't want to get lower than 99F air temperature in a forced air incubator....101F in a still air.

Ed

 

[silkieflock]

Quote:
http://www.pic4ever.com/images/297.gif Your first statement just tripped a breaker in my brain. http://www.pic4ever.com/images/confused0078.gif

As for your question...I wouldn't want to get lower than 99F air temperature in a forced air incubator....101F in a still air.

Ed

sorry, my last statement was kind of contradictory, but you answered my question. thanks

 

[silkieflock]

I know that you can see to candle a white egg easier than a brown egg, but how soon will I know for sure if I have living fetuses inside either color eggs?

 

[bethsplace]

I could see veins around the 5 day but by the 8 or 9 day they were all pretty dark I thought they died and panicked but left them alone and she hatched 5 out of 8. I didnt realize they could grow that fast! they were brown eggs.

well I had 8 eggs to hatch back in July, I gave my hen 5 eggs to my broody hen and took the other 3 inside and decide to build a simple incubator. so I got a bucket shop light and dish of water and place them in it. at first it was hard to get the temp right them I went outside and got one of the non-fertile eggs and brought it in and compared it to mine and got the eggs to feel the same temp and then never moved the light again only turned the bucket and eggs 3-5 times a day. I used a humidfier gauge from my humidifier and covered the bucket with a shower cap to keep the humidity in and hatced 2 of the 3 eggs the 3rd was empty