Question about adding eggs

[PD-Riverman]

As Farmer Connie said, find out what works for you and your area. Here I and Many of my friends---well ALL that hatched had the worse luck opening the incubator during the hatch. Now, None of us open and would get upset if someone did try to open our incubators and we all have great hatches now. After joining this forum---and Learning----if we had of jumped in there and helped them to hatch---chip away at the eggs---we would probably have had a lot better Hatches---we never helped them and Most died after the first hatched ones were removed. Now, We All Set on our hands---we do not open until all have hatched or the day after the due hatch date and have Great Hatches and do not have to "help" them hatch. Sure if I have 236 eggs hatching and 230 hatch on their own I might have to help 2 or 3 finish breaking out the shell the day after the hatch date.
This is what works The Best for All of the incubator/Hatchers in my area. I think from all the reading I have done on here----what works in some area's might NOT work in other area's. I have figured out that Sitting on my hands works best in my area---with 10,000 hatched in 3 years---over 6,000 of those was in one year, with a 95 to 100% hatch rate and very little having to break one out the day after the due date---I have found out what works best here in my area. Good Luck

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Thank you so much! I have been very hands on with this first batch in an attempt to learn everything I can. Since its too late to undo the "stagger batching" I've already done, I will have an opportunity to learn first hand how each process works. I really like the idea of the Styrofoam cooler. I might try that so as to discourage bad behavior from my cats . Did you put holes in your cooler to encourage adequate ventilation?

I keep a lid on it stabilize the temperature. (No holes) We run the a/c in the house at 83°F during then day and 78°F at night. The eggs stay in range of the high 50's without ventilation. They get fresh air by having to turn the direction of the tilt several times a day.

 

[Jessicx]

As Farmer Connie said, find out what works for you and your area. Here I and Many of my friends---well ALL that hatched had the worse luck opening the incubator during the hatch. Now, None of us open and would get upset if someone did try to open our incubators and we all have great hatches now. After joining this forum---and Learning----if we had of jumped in there and helped them to hatch---chip away at the eggs---we would probably have had a lot better Hatches---we never helped them and Most died after the first hatched ones were removed. Now, We All Set on our hands---we do not open until all have hatched or the day after the due hatch date and have Great Hatches and do not have to "help" them hatch. Sure if I have 236 eggs hatching and 230 hatch on their own I might have to help 2 or 3 finish breaking out the shell the day after the hatch date.
This is what works The Best for All of the incubator/Hatchers in my area. I think from all the reading I have done on here----what works in some area's might NOT work in other area's. I have figured out that Sitting on my hands works best in my area---with 10,000 hatched in 3 years---over 6,000 of those was in one year, with a 95 to 100% hatch rate and very little having to break one out the day after the due date---I have found out what works best here in my area. Good Luck

"Sitting on my hands"....there couldn't be a more perfect quote for my situation! I have already learned the hard way about the negative effect of handling too often. This is perhaps the biggest reason I started this thread...knowing that handling them during lockdown would be disastrous.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

As Farmer Connie said, find out what works for you and your area. Here I and Many of my friends---well ALL that hatched had the worse luck opening the incubator during the hatch. Now, None of us open and would get upset if someone did try to open our incubators
I have figured out that Sitting on my hands works best in my area---with 10,000 hatched

We are referring to small scale hobby hatching in tiny Styrofoam incubators.
I have no a/c in my incubation room. Also 7 to 10 brooders with lamps. The thermometer on the wall reads 96°F. The Incubators are set to 99.5°F. Opening the lid for 5 seconds is not going to change anything.
I have an aux hydrometer to monitor the air moisture and tweak it as needed.
Not all of us have professional hatching cabinet incubators, although I wish I did sometimes. For now I will play around with my dinky cheap bators.
I can't compete with 100% hatch rates, but I am comfortable with my humble 85-90% average.

 

[PD-Riverman]

We are referring to small scale hobby hatching in tiny Styrofoam incubators.
I have no a/c in my incubation room. Also 7 to 10 brooders with lamps. The thermometer on the wall reads 96°F. The Incubators are set to 99.5°F. Opening the lid for 5 seconds is not going to change anything.
I have an aux hydrometer to monitor the air moisture and tweak it as needed.
Not all of us have professional hatching cabinet incubators, although I wish I did sometimes. For now I will play around with my dinky cheap bators.
I can't compete with 100% hatch rates, but I am comfortable with my humble 85-90% average.

You read it wrong---I have 15 Styrofoam "cheap" incubators and still use some of them when needed. I have been hatching since the early 1980's with bad luck on all the hatches until I started keeping it closed. Of Course as I stated above---I never got in there and tried to help them hatch unless it was after the hatch due date---probably would have helped a lot??? Even though I have 5 cabinet incubators and have hatched 1000's and 1000's Some times I still have 12 or 15 in a Styrofoam with good hatch %. I am Not Knocking you or what you do. You seem to have yours worked Out Great. My Biggest concern is advising newbie's that they can open their incubator at will during the hatch---without giving them instructions on what/how/etc that needs to be done so to not mess their hatch up. I post a lot but I read a lot more----so many newbie's and some what experienced with heart breaking stories and 99.9% of those open their incubator at will because they were told they could but with No other info.

I have helped MANY on here---PM and regular and on a few other sites I am on---most all of them that follow what I do to a T have great results with no or very little having to help hatch. Some so excited because they have never had 90+ % hatches---a lot never even had 50% hatches. I might not never help another person---but I am proud for the ones I have helped and their results they have shared back with me.

If I start telling people they can open at will during the hatch---you can bet I will tell them what, how, etc they need to do--temp, humidity, spray bottle, how, etc, etc to get the best results from the rest of the unhatched, But I do not ever see that happening.

Do What works----and if giving help to others----give them all they need to know so they have the great results as the ones of you do that does open during the hatch. So much of that info is left out---which causes a lot of them to have bad Hatches---I have seen Pro Hands On Hatchers tell them its ok to open, to remove as they hatch and dry----then a few days later they reply back with bad results, then the pro said I have my humidity in the high 70's before I open---the room the incubator is in is real high, etc, etc--------that info would have been better stated before they ruined their hatch---is what I am saying. Great Hatches to Everyone!!

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Please don't take my reply as negative.. I am on a cheesy tablet your posts are long and hard for me to scroll to read it all. I spend all my time in the barn and take a break of f my feet periodically and get to read as I rest my feet. If I mis read your posts, please don't be offended.. Nor think I was snooty or me offended.
I speed thru stuff alot and miss things!
And I should have mention that I don't open during lock down until the hatching.
I always enjoy reading your posts @PD-Riverman , sometimes am just here for a few seconds and sometimes a few minutes. At night I have more time to concentrate.
My barn has wifi
fc

 

[Lazy Farmer]

You read it wrong---I have 15 Styrofoam "cheap" incubators and still use some of them when needed. I have been hatching since the early 1980's with bad luck on all the hatches until I started keeping it closed. Of Course as I stated above---I never got in there and tried to help them hatch unless it was after the hatch due date---probably would have helped a lot??? Even though I have 5 cabinet incubators and have hatched 1000's and 1000's Some times I still have 12 or 15 in a Styrofoam with good hatch %. I am Not Knocking you or what you do. You seem to have yours worked Out Great. My Biggest concern is advising newbie's that they can open their incubator at will during the hatch---without giving them instructions on what/how/etc that needs to be done so to not mess their hatch up. I post a lot but I read a lot more----so many newbie's and some what experienced with heart breaking stories and 99.9% of those open their incubator at will because they were told they could but with No other info.

I have helped MANY on here---PM and regular and on a few other sites I am on---most all of them that follow what I do to a T have great results with no or very little having to help hatch. Some so excited because they have never had 90+ % hatches---a lot never even had 50% hatches. I might not never help another person---but I am proud for the ones I have helped and their results they have shared back with me.

If I start telling people they can open at will during the hatch---you can bet I will tell them what, how, etc they need to do--temp, humidity, spray bottle, how, etc, etc to get the best results from the rest of the unhatched, But I do not ever see that happening.

Do What works----and if giving help to others----give them all they need to know so they have the great results as the ones of you do that does open during the hatch. So much of that info is left out---which causes a lot of them to have bad Hatches---I have seen Pro Hands On Hatchers tell them its ok to open, to remove as they hatch and dry----then a few days later they reply back with bad results, then the pro said I have my humidity in the high 70's before I open---the room the incubator is in is real high, etc, etc--------that info would have been better stated before they ruined their hatch---is what I am saying. Great Hatches to Everyone!!

15? How long do they last? I was running 3 for staggered hatch dates (3 Times a month).
1 died completely. It was only 2 yrs old. I bought a new one recently but have not plugged it in yet.
Does LG put a little fuse in the control panel?
I have not taken it apart to find out.
Curious.....

 

[PD-Riverman]

15? How long do they last? I was running 3 for staggered hatch dates (3 Times a month).
1 died completely. It was only 2 yrs old. I bought a new one recently but have not plugged it in yet.
Does LG put a little fuse in the control panel?
I have not taken it apart to find out.
Curious.....

My first still little air giant I bought way back in the 1980's still works and still looks good. I have always carefully cleaned it---let it dry and store it in the original box. I only used it like once or twice a year---might have not used it a year or two. About 5 years ago I was hatching some eggs and a man told me he had some pheasant eggs---but I needed to get them like quick---I would need another incubator---to set them---so I was going to buy another one but looked on craigslist and a man had 2---used once---and a third one that stopped working I could have if I bought the other 2---all looked new and I gave him $80 for the 3 with 2 turners. I started attending the Chicken Auction about 4 years ago and they were always coming through---I have bought some as cheap as $5, some for $15 with a turner, some looking like new with a turner for $20 and $25. I bought my 1602n with the turner----It looked new---I had the bid at $35, but the guy no-saled it----wanted $60---He worked there and I caught him outside later and he told me He would let me have it for $50. I bought it. That's how I ended up with so many. Was planning to resale some but never have. I have had I think 5 Styrofoam going at one time.

I do not know of a fuse in any of the Little Giants or similar. You can order a replacement thermostat for them, new heating elements etc if needed.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Had an itch to tinker with the bator earlier after posting that. It was a solder connection came loose. I used my husband's soldering iron and stuck it back on. Awesome! LG9300 working again.
I'll leave it on a few days to see if something went wrong to make the wire disconnect before I set eggs.
See if I can trust it...

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

"Sitting on my hands"....there couldn't be a more perfect quote for my situation! I have already learned the hard way about the negative effect of handling too often. This is perhaps the biggest reason I started this thread...knowing that handling them during lockdown would be disastrous.

I fully understand the sitting on the hands theory. Many first timers hatching eggs think they need to assist the hatching process. Providing the incubation time was good the eggs should hatch on their own without any assistance.