Please help before i become a mass egg murder

[junebell83]

Hi everyone, I have set my first eggs in a still air incubator and have some questions that i can not find the answers to if anyone would be so kind as to help me out.

1. Can i leave my eggs in the styrafoam carton and turn them by tilting?

2. I can not get the humidity to raise over 34 percent no matter how much water i add, i dont think the hydrometer is broken.

3. If i mark my eggs with a sharpie will it hurt them?

and last

4. does an incubator need a vent hole?

Thanku so much for your help, i dont know what i would do with out all of you chicken encyclopedias out there.

 

[mediazeal]

You can hatch in open egg cartons but cut holes in the bottom of each egg cup to increase ventilation of the eggs. They are breathing.

You can tilt instead of using a turner. Has to be tilted I think 3 times a day at regular intervals. Is that right everyone else?

better to use pencil than sharpie

yes, vent holes are necessary, air is required

hmm humidity not rising
well, you need to test that humidity gauge. There are calibration tests if you search here for them. Its something like put a certain amount of water to salt ratio in a cup, put cup and gauge in a plastic bag, leave for 12 hours, should read 75%
if you are reading 70%, you know your humidifier is calibrated 5% too low, etc.
if it is correct and your humidity is too low, you need to increase the evaporation area. Another container of water, a sponge in the middle of the existing container, etc. But make sure your gauge is giving you good info so you do not drown the chicks in their own eggs at hatch.

have a good hatch!

 

[Happy Chooks]

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[Ban seabhag]

I've had the best luck with 30-35% humidity max, going di=own to 25-30 on occasion, for the first 18 days so I think you are good there. I've seen people here tape a 1" dowel under a styrofoam egg carton and tip it back and forth to move it.