Question about adding water to incubator (First time hatcher!)

[sara1226]

I am excited to say I'm about to start my first chick hatch!

Yay! I'm trying both a broody hen AND an incubator. At the candling on day 11, I will take any bad eggs from under my hen and replace with any good ones from the incubator. If there's more good ones than what can fit under her little body, I'll try to finish hatching in the incubator. One question I have is.. is tap water ok to put in the incubator for humidity (we have a water softener which adds calcite to the water) or should I buy some spring water or distilled water to use in it?

Any other information you would like to share that is important for me to know would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!!!

 

[Oftwife03]

I have no idea the answer to your question lol. I just wanted to say I have my first batch in my incubator too and its the exact same one you have lol. I am on day3/4. I wish one of my girls would go broody but no such luck yet. What are you hatching? I have 3 easter egger eggs and 8 from my other backyard mixes.

 

[sara1226]

I have no idea the answer to your question lol.  I just wanted to say I have my first batch in my incubator too and its the exact same one you have lol.  I am on day3/4.  I wish one of my girls would go broody but no such luck yet.  What are you hatching?  I have 3 easter egger eggs and 8 from my other backyard mixes.  

That's ok, thanks for the response. Sometimes I don't get many replies on this site, so it's nice when I do, even if you aren't answering my question. I think I am going to use distilled water, as that was suggested to me on a different site I had asked my question on. As far as the incubator, I had read some reviews of this model and a lot of people were saying the unit doesn't keep up to temp very well. So then I added two different thermometers inside it to see if it matches what the incubator said. Low and behold the unit was saying it was 100 degrees, but both my digital thermometer and my old fashioned one read 98. So then I turned the temp setting as high as it would go. 103 on the incubator resulted in readings of 99 and 102 on the ones I placed inside. I also placed the incubator in the styrofoam packaging it was shipped in (as recommended by someone else with this model), and I put a blanket across the top, being sure not to cover all the vent holes or the hole designed to add water into. All may seem like good ideas, but I too am new at this and it still might not work. I sent for some hatching eggs from a hatchery which are Rhode Island Red, and a mixed bag of breeds that could be show girl, frizzle, naked neck, sizzle, silkie, Cochin, Silchen, OR serema. I can't wait to see what I got! I am hoping to get some naked necks. But I also have to be realistic sadly, shipped eggs only have a 50% hatch rate, and considering this is my first hatch, I will be glad to just end up with 2-3 in the end. I also have collected a few fertile eggs from my flock, because I want to increase my chances and I kind of like the idea of seeing what kind of mixed breeds I will get. My Roos are buff silkie and a stunning Phoenix. I'll try to post some pics of the parents from which I gathered the eggs. Good luck with your hatch!!!

 

[Oftwife03]

Those are my babies. I have no idea who laid the brown eggs I got lol but I know the last pic is gonna be the momma to at least 1 of the easter egger eggs if not more. So far my temp hasn't given me any problems. I did leave it in the styrofoam it came in. Between my daughter trying to help by adding water when it wasnt needed and the weather being crazy humidity seems to be my mine issue. I couldn't help my self and candled them today. Its Day 4 on the incubator and one the shell is really dark brown so hard to tell yet 2 of the easter eggers its really hard to tell cause of the color of the shell but all 8 other have small veins! I am excited. I know they might not all develop but it's exciting to see a change in the eggs!

 

[sara1226]

That's awesome! You've got some adorable chickens there too. Day 4 hhmmm.. I was thinking I would have to wait until the recommended day 11 for candling, but I am one who seriously lacks patience so.. I might be up doing day 4 too. Lol. Where are you from if you don't mind my asking?

 

[Oftwife03]

I am in South Arkansas. And I told my self to wait till at least day 5 but I couldn't help my self. I have a feeling I will be one to be to hands on lol. I am gonna try and wait till Friday before I look again to check air sacs mainly. But who knows lol.