Newbie incubator/hatcher questions

[AmyLynn2374]

Well the postal person tried to delivery my hatching eggs like mins after I left the house for my daughters dr appt. Picked them up this morning and found that the seller included 3 more eggs FOC so now I have 9 eggs. I did candle them and it looks like the air cell is still were is is ment to be on all 6 + the 3 freebies no cracks no nothing. I should be able to set them tomorrow round 10am if following the 24 hr rest rule which I am. I have also placed in my incubator a digital read out thermometer and hygrometer 2 in 1 thing, it seems to be working good as the incubator has a range of 37.4-37.6 celsius or about 99.32f - 99.68f humidity is between 50% and 55%. I have had it plugged for about 6 hrs now and it has not fallen below 37.4 and has not gone about 37.6 celsius and what I have read out of a book on hatching thats a good range (is that right?). also a few of the eggs look like they have like some on touched them with wet dust hands and have a few prints on a few eggs, the eggs don't sell bad or anything how do I go about cleaning them? can I just use a dry sponge with soft "rough" side to clean it?

If your incubator is forced air, those temps are fine. I recommend a lower humidity for incubation, but at least monitor air cells to gage if the humidity is letting the eggs loose proper moisture. ( http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity ).

As long as the eggs aren't crusted with poop or mud, I wouldn't worry about "prints".

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

If your incubator is forced air, those temps are fine. I recommend a lower humidity for incubation, but at least monitor air cells to gage if the humidity is letting the eggs loose proper moisture. ( http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity ).

As long as the eggs aren't crusted with poop or mud, I wouldn't worry about "prints".

Cheers that was help full need to bring down the humidity tho as it's raised by 2%. I have a manual incubator and know the temp and stuff can go down and up depending on what's going on.. but how often do I need to turn the eggs some say 3 some say 5 others every hr or 2 which I think the last one is a bit much. Anyone got suggestions or first hand knowledge of hand turning? Also I have read it's good to keep records of hatchings like breed, where they were bought, who sold them, how many eggs, temp and humidity at the time eggs were set, tempt and humidity before and after egg turning etc is this a good idea to do?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Cheers that was help full need to bring down the humidity tho as it's raised by 2%. I have a manual incubator and know the temp and stuff can go down and up depending on what's going on.. but how often do I need to turn the eggs some say 3 some say 5 others every hr or 2 which I think the last one is a bit much. Anyone got suggestions or first hand knowledge of hand turning? Also I have read it's good to keep records of hatchings like breed, where they were bought, who sold them, how many eggs, temp and humidity at the time eggs were set, tempt and humidity before and after egg turning etc is this a good idea to do?

I hand turn mine. 3 xs a day. I shoot for morning, noon and night.
When I started I kept records of pip and hatch times.
If you want a record to look back on in case of troubleshooting you can keep one. I would keep number set, temp check at least daily, humidity daily, (or if you have a thermometer/hygrometer that tells high and low for the day, that'd work great.) And keep notes as to how many showed fertile and if and when there are early quitters. Then you will know obviously how many go into lockdown and come out. I would not worry about temps/humidity before and after turning because it's irrelevant. The inside temps of the eggs do not cool down or warm up at even close to what the air does and humidity is important as an average not at any given moment nor does fluctuations of humidity while opening the incubator make a difference to the eggs during incubation. I keep track of pip time to zip time periodically to see what they average between progression, but that's for my curiosity.

Keeping track of humidity/temps during incubation (daily) can help you troubleshoot later on if hatch isn't the greatest

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

Brill idea will have to do that for the pip and zip time. Good so I don't really have to worry then if I don't turn the thing every like 4 hrs i.e 5 times a day. I'm curious the has anyone hatched a egg with a air sac that as become detached/saddle bag like? I'm curious cuz if I do have a good first hatch and end up with some wonky air sac egg issues next time I want to know if they may have a chance to go if you will if they are indeed fertile.

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

What percent of relative humidity would you suggest? Asking as my incubator seems to have want to stick between 45-50% now. Is this ok? I know I'll be candling them at day 7 and day 14 and maybe day 18. I hope to have at least 3 eggs hatch if fertile out of the 9 I got (6 paid for 3 free) also marked the ones I paid for and the free ones just to see if the free ones were/are better.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I prefer 30-35%. Over 45 makes me nervous. But just keep an eye on the air cells.

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

We'll if they can go that low humidity wise heck I'll stop freaking out about it being under 50% as most place say it needs to be that high including my books. But hey if it works at lower temp why not.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

We'll if they can go that low humidity wise heck I'll stop freaking out about it being under 50% as most place say it needs to be that high including my books. But hey if it works at lower temp why not.

Yes, many recommendations state 50% and many incubator manuals do as well, which is why the blog article I gave you the link for is titled throw away those incubator manuals.... some can successfully hatch at higher humidity, and people in higher elevations do need higher humidity, but a good majority of us that use table top incubators especially styros, in normal elevations, find that above 45% has a tendency to keep the egg from loosing proper moisture and causing fully formed DIS chicks drowned come hatch time.

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

Did read the link found it interesting but now that I know more ppl have it under 50% makes me feel way better. I live in the UK now and it can get quite humid blah. Now I just hope a large plastic rabbit cage will be ok for growing chicks cuz my husband bought me one as it was on offer at the pet store plus I money off of you spent so much lol

 

[Mysimplewyominglife]

Ok candled my eggs yesterday 8 out of 9 are fertile and growing number 9 I think is a quieter or infertile. First 3 pics are same egg different angle. The 4 is one of the ones growing. What all think of the one egg?