okay - Lockdown in tomorrow - help/guidance

[TaraDee]

alright folks ~ I've heard several suggestions and want opinions again.

I have a LG bator and LG turner. I'll take the turner out and place eggs in bator.

Should I....

~ put them on cheese cloth for easy clean up
~ put in paper egg carton air side up
~ or straight on the grate



What is the best way to increase humidity (needs to go to 60-80% right??)
~ sponge?
~another dish under the grate? (reservoirs are mostly full already)


then I sit on my hands and wait right?
ack this is so stressful!! I don't want to do anything wrong to potentially harm these babies!

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

The few times I used an LG, I had to put in 2-3 sponges, on end to increase surface area, and when I had to rewet them, I used a bendy straw and a syringe to add water. And yes, lockdown means lockdown. No touchy!!

Personally, I use an egg carton (though I use styrofoam, because the paper cartons will absorb the moisture from the humidity and then you will have VERY wet eggs...

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i used to use that rubbery shelf liner stuff to cover the hardware cloth so the babies don't have it so hard on their feet after hatching. But found that it tends to block the humidity. So i've stopped using that. Just make sure at lockdown that you have added sufficient water. And then yes, you can use a bendy straw to add water if it dips too low. Sponges tucked along the sides are a wonderful way to hold humidity. And do try to sit on your hands so you don't open the bator trying to help when it will only harm the hatch. But do be prepared to jump in and help if needed. i know it's confusing and sounds contradictory, but every hatch is so individual, with its own set of unique circumstances and issues, that sometimes you just have to fly by the seat of your pants. And keep posting with any concerns or problems you might have. Hatching is SO stressful and SO wonderful. Good luck!

 

[TaraDee]

so would cheesecloth be a good choice for easy clean up and not touching wire.

when you say bendy straw to re-wet - meaning dont open and feed a straw in the vent hole to a sponge and add water?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
Yep!

As far as the cheesecloth, I don't have an answer for you, I don't know if it would be too slick and cause splayleg...even paper towels have been known to be too slippery...

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i personally wouldn't use cheesecloth. i'm picturing chicks hatching, their feet getting tangled in the cheesecloth, them wrapping themselves up, and then you have to open the incubator to unwrap them. Cheesecloth is way too flimsy. If you have 1/4" hardware cloth under the eggs, it really won't be too hard on them as they will only be on it for no more than 24 hours until you pull them out into a brooder. But, this is just my personal preference and their may be others who have different things that work well for them.

And yeh, on the bendy straw. Put your sponges inside in spots where you will be able to get that straw through a hole and plump it up with water.