Okay, what am I doing right/wrong???

[Turkeyrangler]

Hi, I'm new to this forum.

A week ago a friend of mine gave me 6 turkey eggs to try to hatch. Supposedly Eastern wild turkeys that hadn't been set yet. I haven't tried anything like this since I was in grade school. I live in the country and have 23 acres with lots of hardwoods and a large yard. He figured that since I had the space he would give me the extra eggs. I went to the local feed store and bought an incubator(little giant still air). I placed the eggs in an egg carton large end up for about 6 hours. I had no idea how long they had sat before coming to room temp. I then placed them in the incubator on May 3, 2010 at 4:30pm and have been turning them three times per day since that time. Tonight when I got home I rigged up a light to candle the eggs and it appears that all 6 are developing. I see veins in all 6 and have compared them to pics I've seen in the site. They, at least seem to be developing.

My temps are pretty consistent between 98.7 F and 100.5 F; 99.6 F or so being the average currently. I tried to keep the average at 99.0 but the incubator didn't want to agree with me. I have two thermometers, the one that came with the LG and and digital that I bought both being set about 1 inch above the mesh that the eggs sit on. Luckily both seem to be calibrated right and match the temps of another one I trust. My room temp is fairly stable at close to 70.0 F with no drafts and such. It's my computer room and the incubator is right here on my desk as I type this. Since the LG incubators are notorious for being hard to get to settle down I glued a 1 inch disk of cardboard to the thermostat adjustment knob and marked it when it settled at 99.5. I can make small adjustments as needed. My humidity is at about 55 percent give or take 3-4 percent either way depending on time of day.

Now, I have raised both salt water and fresh water fish to breeding states. I have raised and sold freshwater discus fish for profit if anyone is familiar with this. This takes meticulous care to reach this point. I'm applying the same care to these eggs. BTW, I don't take this for grated since this is all Greek to me at this point, but I'm trying to learn. I want all of my babes to have a grand old life.

Questions that I have. Do I maintain the current temps and humidity up till day 25 when I lock down??. How is the best way in an LG to raise the humidity up to 70+ for hatching if I get that far??

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[Lotsapaints]

sounds like you're okay I've never used a still air but I would suggest using shelf liner on top of the mesh and your incubator has troughs in the bottom for water? Mine has 2-I keep the small one filled as I incubate and fill the larger one when I lock down. Make sure you have a way to add water without opening the incubator too. I put the shelf liner in while I candle the eggs for the last time. I just had my first turkey hatch and the 4 that made it to lock down all hatched and are all still alive 19 days later. I really like my turkeys I hatched Bourbon Reds and I have another batch due 5/20 of Midgets and Auburns from Longranger. Good luck and keep us posted on how it goes.

 

[OmaBird]

I use the HavaBators to hatch my eggs. I have both the still air and the turbo fans. I have not noticed a better hatch in the turbo fan incubators over the still air for me. What I do notice is I need to add water more often with the fans than with the still incubators. I live in a naturally dry climate (desert). I don't have a clue what the humidity in my incubators are. I just follow the directions of keeping the plactic troughs from drying out. When I candle the eggs and I see they are close to hatching I fill the second trough. I never mist my eggs. I found for me that caused more problems than it helped.

I know most people do not open the incubator durring hatching. I open mine to remove empty egg shells that will keep other eggs from hatching or any other problem. I have not had any dry up durring the hatch this year.

Once the eggs go in, I don't touch the temp again. It is what it is. Since you have veins with candling your fine. Keep a watch on them for movement, heart beat as they grow. A small flashlight works best for me.

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Thanks for the replies.

My house humidity runs has been pretty steady at 35-40 %. I have all three troughs full to the top in the bator and it's running at 55% humidity very steady. I think I'll add a couple sponges to bring the humidity up just a bit at lockdown. I do have one of the two vent holed open on the top right now. Do you think I should close this at lockdown as well? I was going to run some tubing through that vent hole as a way to keep my troughs topped off, but maybe closing it would work better. again, Thanks in advance.

 

[Lotsapaints]

Don't close the vent at lock down those babies need to breathe and 55 might be a little high you did calibrate it? I got mine up to 70% during lock down but ran it at 45 to 55 before. Just check the air sack when you candle if it's small less humidity if it gets too big more. I'm sure you're going to do just fine.

 

[OmaBird]

I think it hard to give advise when everyone situation is different. I don't remove my vents. Never have. Like I said before I live in very low humity. But I also live in high altidude so its been a learning process of what works for me. There is air comming from the bottom vents. Thats plenty of air to raise chicks in. I know because I have done it when I have not had brooder room or time to set things up. The red vents come off only if your chicks can't dry out. Thats a sign you have to much humidity.

I don't know what kind of instructions come with a little giant. Its been a while since I had one. I like a little more lip on the sides so I buy the HavaBator. Other than that the design is the same. Maybe compare what they say to do. http://www.gqfmfg.com/pdf/Thermal%20Hova-Bator%20%20instructions.pdf

VENT PLUGS
Red vent plugs are located on the top of the incubator. These
should be removed when the incubator is used at altitudes greater
than 6000 feet above sea level. One or both may also be removed
during or after the hatch if water drops appear on the window due
to high humidity. This will help to dry the chicks and the incubator.
If removing the plugs does not reduce the humidity enough, it may
be necessary to prop up the top slightly, to facilitate drying. If so,
be sure to maintain proper temperature. Alternately, the top may
be removed quickly, and moisture wiped from the windows to aid
drying. Replace the plugs after the chicks are removed.

 

[OmaBird]

I thought I would also give you Kevin Porters advise on Hatching Turkeys if you have not already read it. http://www.porterturkeys.com/egghatchingtips.htm

 

[Turkeyrangler]

Again, thanks for the replies. I live close to the shores of Lake Superior and you would think that this area would be humid and at times it does get somewhat muggy, but for the most part the humidity is low. Right now the humidity in this room is at about 32%. The big cold lake sucks most the humidity right out of the air. My humidity in the bator is still rock steady at 55%. I tested the hygometer against two others that I have and it's close by about +/- 2%. Thanks for the advice on that, I didn't think to calibrate it against another one.

I had seen Kevin Porters sight. He was the only one that I found that suggested a temp that high for incubating turkey eggs. It seems that he get early hatches too. I'm still going to keep mine averaging about 99.6. Most sights suggested 99-99.5. My incubator seems to like an average of 99.6 so that is where I will leave it. I really don't want to mess with the temps at this point in the game and all 6 eggs appear to be developing well. I'm resisting the urge to candle them daily...

, but I want to.

 

[Lotsapaints]

I'm with you on the candling I had to look at mine last night they are 19 days all moving I could see feet now till next Tuesday I can't wait either....