Questions about incubator

[Luckyhen006]

Hello there. I just have some questions about my incubator and I was wondering if someone may be able to answer them? ➡This is our incubator, We last used it Spring of 2021, Filled most of the tray with eggs and most hatched with the exception of a few Losses.
But anyways,

Question #1 Does anyone Else have one?? And do you have any tips??

Question #2 do I really have to let it run for a full 24 hrs before adding the eggs?

And any tips and advice on incubating/Hatching you may have Would be Extremely Appreciated!!!


P.s I know this is not a top of the line incubator,
Full and well, so I ask that I may not be shamed or may be put down for it, thank you!!


Thanks in advance!!

 

[50-45-1]

I dont have one of those, but running for 24 hours give you time to monitor temp and humidity and make any adjustments before adding the eggs.
After the eggs are added and the hatch process begins is not a good time to fiddle with adjustments
Good luck!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Question #1 Does anyone Else have one?? And do you have any tips??

I do not have that one. I cannot tell from the pictures how it works but is probably fairly standard. I did not see the operators manual available online, hopefully you have one. You've hatched with it before and were successful so you should be OK. My main suggestion is to read the manual and do what it says.

Question #2 do I really have to let it run for a full 24 hrs before adding the eggs?

The incubator police are not going to arrest you of you don't. The first time or two I used mine I played with it a few days figuring out what adding water to different reservoirs did to the humidity. Yours looks like it works on a different principle. After a few hatches I would put the eggs in and then turn it on. It stayed pretty steady and I did not feel the need to experiment anymore.

 

[Luckyhen006]

Thank you!

 

[Altairsky]

I experimented with mine a whole week before adding test eggs, because I could not get steady values.
It's always better to try it for one day before putting eggs in it, and test the temperatures in different spots, since after eggs are in you cannot make adjustments anymore. Also if the incubator has any sort of defect, it is more likely to fail during the test run.

 

[Gemstateranch]

Question #2 do I really have to let it run for a full 24 hrs before adding the eggs?

I think its a good idea, we do this for a few reasons. First to get everything warmed up. Then we use multiple thermometers, at least one that we can calibrate to check the temperature against what the controller is showing. Then we check that the humidity is good. We dont run ours all the time, so we like to run it for a few days and practice making adjustments. This is just how we do it, other people do it different.

Also important to remember, a mother hen isnt likely to hold each egg at a perfect temperature or humidity. So there is natural flexibility.