The quicker you get the eggs in the incubator the better the hatch rate will be, but...you do want to make sure the incubator is working properly.
I would put a thermometer (where you can see it through the window) and a small glass of tepid water inside the incubator, fill one of the water channels up, and then plug everything (turner included) up. Put the top on and let it sit overnight. Round up a regular medical thermometer (digital are easiest to use) and have it on hand.
The next day (the longer you wait the better) look through the window and write down the temperature showing on the thermometer (humidity reading, too). Next, turn the digital medical thermometer on, raise the lid on the incubator, stick the medical thermometer into the small cup of water and take it's temperature. What you are doing is getting a fairly precise temperature reading from the water with the medical thermometer. If the temperature of the water reads within two or three tenths of a degree either side of 99.5F then you're doing pretty good. You can compare this temperature with the temperature that you wrote down *before* you opened the incubator...this will let you know how accurate the thermometer is that you're intending to use in the incubator.
For instance... If the medical thermometer read 99.4F and the incubator thermometer read 98.9F then you know that 98.9F on the incubator thermometer really means 99.4F. With the 1588 you have a digital thermostat that should not vary the temperature much at all...opening and closing the incubator will cause temp swings, though.
As for humidity the values that SundownWaterfowl gave you sound good. Start with one channel filled and see what that does, if you need more humidity you can add water to the other channel.
Store your eggs "pointy end" pointing downward. Turn them an odd number of times a day. When the time comes set them in the turner with the "pointy end" pointing downward (big end up). Store at room temperature...60-70F out in the air...not in the refrigerator.
Note. Be sure and get a very good understanding of the procedures involved before flipping any of the thermostats dip-switches. There are specific sequences involved rather than simply flipping a switch to a specific number. If the correct sequence isn't followed you could end up far off the target temperature.
Best wishes,
Ed
