Opening Incubator to Add Water & Green Eggs

[JillsChicks]

We're on day 11 now. We've candled all our 18 eggs (Auracana, Buff Orpington, Dekalb, Barred Rock and others). We've seen the little guys wiggling around in half of them and definitive air spaces and dark areas in the others. The only two eggs I do not clearly see development in are two of the green blue eggs. I see air spaces and a darkened area, but never any really dark area or movement that says "chick!" to me. Are they developing?

I'm concerned about what I'm reading about opening the incubator. I only open it when I turn them by hand and add water at the same time. So that's 3 x's a day. The water wiggler stays at 99.5-98.5 by the time I'm done. I saw someone put anti-slip drawer liner on top of their hardware cloth, so I did that last night. Temp and humidity were fine this morning. On one egg it left a few little dots of "color" when I turned it. Should I not use this liner cloth until day 18 or something?

And how do you keep your humidity up after day 18 if you are not opening your incubator once in a while?

 

[jimnjay]

some people just take out one of the windows and reach in through the window. At day 18 you stop turning so you can fill all the channels with water and if necessary add a wet sponge or rolled up wet sock or something. I would probably not add the none slip liner right now it is good for a brooder but it may affect the air flow in the incubator. Once you add the extra water on day 18 you may not need to add more. If you do, you can do so by taking a straw or piece of tubing and put it in the air hole on top. Add water with a turkey baster or a syringe. I just use a straw and place my finger over the top and let it off when it is in place. If you are using a sponge put it right under the vent hole so it is easy to get it damp through the hole.

 

[JillsChicks]

Jimnjay - Oh, so nice to hear from you!

First, thank you for your advice. I did actually see the photo of the drawer liner being used under newborn chicks. One source said to put cheesecloth on the hardware cloth at day 18 so that the chicks wouldn't stick to the hardware cloth?... That's why I thought to give this a try now. The humidity and temp seem to be perfect, but if you think it will impede the airflow, I'll take it out till then.

I like your advice on how to add water after day 18 - - will do!

I had posted replies to your past postings regarding buying some sizzle chicken eggs from you - do you have any more to sell? I would love to do some. I would have to wait until mid - late July as we're going on vacation though. Will you have some available then? I love your website and your bird photos!

JillsChicks

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

Well i hade an LG so i had those litte holes at the top and a sponge right under neath where it was and i would squirt a little water in to make the humidty go up. To make the humidty go down I would simply just urn the fan on it my room. That seemed to all work fine cause I have 3 chicks now.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

JimNJay I started doing that b4 I had even met this
board and hear other people were doin
it I guess its just and instinct to some people