**POLL** For those who have incubated chicken eggs **POLL**

[Guitartists]

I have some questions and I'm interested to see the variety of techniques involved in incubating chicken eggs successfully. Please, only post an answer if you personally have incubated chicken eggs.

Here are the questions. Feel free to post different combinations that you have tried/used.

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air)

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all?

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such)

*What humidity do you use during the hatch?

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop.

And any notes you'd like to add.





Here is mine....



*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) 100 (forced)

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? Hand turn, 3 times a day

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) 30%

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? 60-70%

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. 85% (locally picked up), 80% (shipped)

And any notes you'd like to add.




My NEW hatch.....

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) 102 (still)

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? Hand turn (once maybe twice a day)

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) 29%

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? ?

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. ?

And any notes you'd like to add. Will update when they hatch... I did have a temp spike of at least 104 on day 3 or 4... but all are still developing.

 

[jay1995]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) 99- 100

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all?
Hand turn carton, 3x
*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) 40%

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? 65- 70%

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. None yet. But my hatch on wednesday is very promising. Thanks, -Jay

 

[lilbreeches]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) 100' in my forced air, 102' in my still air

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? still air - auto turner, forced air - hand turn 2x day

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) around 40' in both

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? around 70 ' in hatcher

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. so far this year, one hatch, shipped eggs, 75% hatch rate

And any notes you'd like to add.

 

[Teresaann24]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air): I have a still air and I am settled with my temp between 100-102

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? : I turn by hand for now I turn 3 times a day.

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such): I keep mine between 45-50

*What humidity do you use during the hatch?: I keep it between 65-70

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. So far my hatch rate is about 80% with shipped eggs. From my own backyard my hatch rate has been about 95%

 

[PurpleChicken]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air)
101F, 99 to 100F wiggle temp, forced air

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all?
Use a turner

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such)
40 to 50%

*What humidity do you use during the hatch?
60 to 70%

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop.
Only including eggs that develop past day 14 and assuming I do not
interfere with the bator past day 18 I get a 75 to 95% hatch. This does
not vary with shipped eggs however the egg source and breed does
seem to have an effect.

And any notes you'd like to add.
This is a constant among all 3 bators I have used.
LG9200, Hova Genesis, Brinsea Oct40

 

[monarc23]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air)
Forced air- 99.7-100F my cabinet inc is huge so the higher the inc is to the fan the hotter it is, the lower it is to the fan the cooler it is, so it's 99.7 normally at the bottom, and 100 at the top
*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all?
hand turn, 3 times a day, at no specific time...but whenever I wake up, and before i go to bed whatever time that may be...and sometime mid day-/b]
*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such)
40-50% Though sometimes 60-62% as I do a lot of staggered hatches
*What humidity do you use during the hatch?
60-65%
*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop.
Normally 50% or lower so far, though this has to do with shipping issues and heat fluctuations when my annoying wafer decides to die

. HOwever, i've had MANY loose air celled eggs hatch. Once the chick starts developing the air cell kind of fixes itself....since i lay my eggs on their sides, the air cell normally fixes in teh middle of the egg to the top of the egg againw here it needs to be anyhow... the chick finds this aircell in no time during hatching and I've not had any issues.

I dont even freak out when i see loose air cells anymore, it means nothing to me

Notes i'd like to add:

DON'T fear loose air cells, if by day seven you see no development toss it, but if you do, leave it go you have nothing to loose by keeping the egg in there and keeping tabs on it's development, but if you just throw it out, you may have lost out on a chick.----just my experience and two cents. Now.....scrambled yolks, never had one of those develop.


My inc now is a Sears Roebuck Farm Master- holds 400 large sized eggies

 

[4-H chicken mom]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? Forced air, wiggler temp 99-99.5

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? Hand turn 5 times daily

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? 55-57%

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? 65%

*What is your hatch rate? First time in borrowed bator 50% Picked up eggs from hatchery. Second time with shipped 12 eggs, homemade bator 100% Third hatch 5 of my own test eggs, 100% Helped two get out

And any notes you'd like to add. I don't know if it is just coincidence or not but I washed my hands before I turned the eggs on the second and third hatch. I didn't on my first hatch. But then it could have just been the bator.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) I use a forced air Brinsea Octagon 40 and I keep it at 37.4 to 37.6 celcius

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? The incubator sits on a turner.

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) I dont pay attention to the humidity during the first 18 days. I just moniter the air sac size. If it gets to big, add more water, too small, dont add any water or mist the eggs (that causes the egg to lose more moisture)

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? Usually 60-65%. When they start hatching it automatically goes up to around 70% so I take out one of the red plugs.

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop. I have been getting 100% hatch rates this year on everything except my OEGB, which I have been incubating only a few of, as my girls are hardly laying.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air)
Forced air fridge incubator at 99.5

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all?
Turners from cheep incubators

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such)
I hatch every week so sunday threw wendsday my humidity is as low as I can get it. Somewhere between 15% an 30% to make up for the high humidity the other days.

*What humidity do you use during the hatch?
My humidistat kicks on at about 70% an off at about 76%

*What is your hatch rate? (Please specify if these were shipped eggs) Do not include loose air cells, scrambled yolks etc... only concerned with eggs that began to develop.
About 75% on my last hatch but usually 90+%.

 

[L*A*G*]

*What temp do you prefer to run your bator at? (Please specify still air or forced air) (still) 99.7

*Do you use a turner, hand turn (how many times a day) or not turn at all? auto tuner (3 or 5)

*What humidity to you keep it at from day 1-18? (Please, no wet bulb readings, unless noted as such) 40-50

*What humidity do you use during the hatch? 60-70