Random incubator discrepancies?

[Duckfarmer1]

Hi everyone. I just bought a slightly used Hoverbator. I’ve been reading tons of threads, right along. Soooo much info. Plus, tapping the net for tips. Seems to be differing info everywhere? Ok, so 1st..how many days is ideal to let my eggs set out? It says up to 7. Humidity says to keep it between 20% and 60%...huge difference!!..and that’s until the last 3 days. What do you all recommend? Says to put sponges in to help...are they supposed to be wet or dry? I know, probably a dumb qu, but I don’t want to screw this up. Do I really need to weigh the eggs ahead of time? I won’t use pullet eggs, or the huge ones...I’ll use the nice, good sized eggs. It says, many experts recommend turning eggs 4-5 times a day? I can do that if it’s goin* to help....my machine has a turner...I believe it does it once a day. Don’t have instructions, but I’ve been looking on net for the manual. Holds 36 eggs...I plan to use each spot...various breeds. How soon do I start candling? Some say day 6? So, if the humidity isn’t right..I add water? And the temp...the machine should just keep it right? Do I candle daily? How often do I check this thing? I’m a bit OCD...I imagine, I’ll be hovering over it...but I don’t want to worry too much...ugh. Any other tips would be greatly appreciated. I plan to keep writing as this journey goes along. My humidity monitor doesn’t come in the mail until Monday...bummer, but didn’t want to go to the stores right now. It’s American made. Ok, thanks everyone!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My favorite... accurate resource...
Incubation guide

Hovabator... turns like hourly if it's working.. so you shouldn't need top turn more. The more it turns the better.. the 3-5 times is the minimum... without turning embryos cannot live.

I usually see whisps of blood cells starting by day 3 in lighter colored eggs. I can see decent development by day 4. And I wait until day 6 or 7 for really dark eggs...

Humidity... can vary widely and still give life. If I'm incubating Marans eggs... I run my bator completely dry (always start like this to see where humidity is anyways) which is around 20-25%. The darker the bloom pigment... less evaporation takes place. If humidity is too high... it doesn't decrease the air cell which should limit the embryos size so it will still be able to turn to get into position for hatching. It could also cause drowning at internal pip.. if the air cell doesn't grow large enough. Even non developing eggs will see their air cell grow as that is simply an indicator of evaporation and not embryo growth.

Which hovabator did you get? forced or still air? Remove any red plugs.

Will you be incubating chicken or duck eggs.. turkey or quail, etc?

For general purposes... I will suggest 40-45% humidity through day 18... raise to 65-75% for hatching. I wouldn't mess with sponges unless needed to raise humidity at hatch... which would then be wet.

Don't trust your incubator thermostat... get a thermometer you can calibrate. While bators should hold temp... they are limited in their abilities and it's important that the location it's kept doesn't swing more than 10 degrees, I add blankets on the outside when my house is too cold for the bator to even reach temp, being sure not to block vent holes. Set it at the hottest part of the day and let it drift down.

This should go a ways towards answering your questions.

Happy hatching!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

My favorite... accurate resource...
Incubation guide

Hovabator... turns like hourly if it's working.. so you shouldn't need top turn more. The more it turns the better.. the 3-5 times is the minimum... without turning embryos cannot live.

I usually see whisps of blood cells starting by day 3 in lighter colored eggs. I can see decent development by day 4. And I wait until day 6 or 7 for really dark eggs...

Humidity... can vary widely and still give life. If I'm incubating Marans eggs... I run my bator completely dry (always start like this to see where humidity is anyways) which is around 20-25%. The darker the bloom pigment... less evaporation takes place. If humidity is too high... it doesn't decrease the air cell which should limit the embryos size so it will still be able to turn to get into position for hatching. It could also cause drowning at internal pip.. if the air cell doesn't grow large enough. Even non developing eggs will see their air cell grow as that is simply an indicator of evaporation and not embryo growth.

Which hovabator did you get? forced or still air? Remove any red plugs.

Will you be incubating chicken or duck eggs.. turkey or quail, etc?

For general purposes... I will suggest 40-45% humidity through day 18... raise to 65-75% for hatching. I wouldn't mess with sponges unless needed to raise humidity at hatch... which would then be wet.

Don't trust your incubator thermostat... get a thermometer you can calibrate. While bators should hold temp... they are limited in their abilities and it's important that the location it's kept doesn't swing more than 10 degrees, I add blankets on the outside when my house is too cold for the bator to even reach temp, being sure not to block vent holes. Set it at the hottest part of the day and let it drift down.

This should go a ways towards answering your questions.

Happy hatching!

Thank you!! Not sure which model it is...I’ll have to look at it and see if it says anywhere...since it’s used, he didn’t tell me a model #, etc. just got it yesterday, and didn’t have much time to fiddle...wanted to do the research on here first! Your help is great!! Thanks a ton! Hatching chicken eggs, a variety..BO, black Sex links, blue Orps, NHR, RIR....

 

[EggSighted4Life]

wanted to do the research on here first!

Post a photo if you can. It will matter if it's circulated or still air... as this determines your set temp.. sounds like it might be digital or is it a wafer thermostat? I have 2 hovabators... the 1602N, still air and the 1588 genesis with fan.. but there are more models than that I'm sure.

If still air, temp is measured at the top of but not touching the eggs. If circulated.. shouldn't matter where temp is taken as should be mostly even and not have very differing zones.

Circulated... 99.5 degrees should give day 21 hatch. Still air, 101.5 is suggested.

With regards to weighing the eggs... that is one way to determine if your humidity needs adjusting up or down as eggs should loose about 12% of their weight during incubation. I've hatched hundreds of chicks... that I couldn't see through or simply didn't bother with weighing or checking air cells, only checked for development... The 45% humidity inside the bator is a good average for hatching most eggs! Here is one article that was interesting.. with every thing... take what makes sense to you and try it. Pick and choose as there is a LOT of misinformation out there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...h-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method.47694/
Most of what I learned started with gleaning what I needed from this amazing thread. So glance through it when you get a chance if you haven't already...
Hatching Eggs 101

While your getting it set up... watch the turner and notice it's position several times throughout the day... to ensure it's working.

7 days is the maximum IDEAL holding time.. after that hatch rate trends down... I have successfully hatched eggs stored incorrectly that were 2 weeks old before setting.. 5 out of 8 still hatched! Temperature, humidity, turning, breeder nutrition... all kinds of things can effect this. That guide I linked even has a method of covering with plastic if storage will be more than 14 days...

Most everything you read about hatching is a GUIDELINE. There aren't a lot of set rules... just a lot of personal preferences... Many of the "rules" you read... are the best suggestion or for a reason. But it's life and death and we all make our choices. Decide where you stand... will you try to assist, will you open your bator or keep it closed until day 22 or 23, will try to fix splay legs or cull deformities if and when they happen? Do you have a plan for all your extra boys that will hatch? Thinking about vaccinating any? That type stuff..

Best wishes on your adventure!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Ok...lots of great info, once again! It’s a 1602N....so, still air..so, I’ll keep it at 101.5*....we keep our house on the cool side. But we have a gas heater wall unit..about 3’ off the ground....should I keep it on the floor by there? Or put a TVtray in front of it? No way can we turn up the house heat for 21 days...we are used to keeping it cool...plus it’s a hugeeeee house, so the bill would be ginormous and the hubby would nix that idea! Ok, the eggs...I collected 12 good sized ones today..the rest are too big or too small, etc. But, do I wash them or keep the bloom? Or, is it better to take some that I have in the fridge? I sell my eggs so yesterday’s are gone..but I have 3 dz from 3/18, 3/17, 3/16 that are left. My humidity monitor comes Monday. The eggs in the fridge are washed as I always have customers showing up randomly, so I like some to be ready. So, which ever eggs I’m going to use...I leave them out from here on, until the day I put them in? I will definitely fix splayed legs...dealt with that before. Plan to vaccinate too.....going to sell some? As for left over cockerels, well...last time when we bought straight run, 5 out of 8 were cockerels. Kept two, ate the others. Might sound terrible to some but this is a farm...I can’t keep every animal. I learned that the hard way, when I had 43 ducks...28 were drakes...I thought my farm would be La la land. Boy was I wrong. Ate some, sold the rest. Now I’m buying new. It was a learning process. . . Good and bad? Ok...I took some pictures..when I did, I noticed a dirty egg holder, was going to wash it anyways. Just did that now...read on another thread, ok to wash with soap and water. I will definitely read those links, and bookmark them for easy access!! Thank you sooo much for the help!! I don’t have to start this on Monday, if the eggs won’t be at the perfect 7 days out on the counter....I am just egggcited!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

if the eggs won’t be at the perfect 7 days out on the counter

I'm not sure what perfect 7 days on the counter is... You can set eggs the same day they are laid, the next day or whenever... it's just that how many days they are stored may delay hatch by about an hour. Don't store eggs or bator near the heater.. when I say my house was too cool and needed blanket I mean 58 degrees. My house swings wildly in summer when windows stay open.. night get as cool as 55 and days may warm up to 74 inside the house... I simply don't incubate during that time or might use a closet. I kept my house at about 64 ish degrees during my last incubation...That is almost baking hot for my family, so it doesn't have to warm... it needs to be stable.. there are many ways to help achieve that.

To keep hatch frame tight... I move eggs to a new location inside the bator daily... because there will be warm spots... (even in circulated).

I also suggest leaving the spot directly next to the turner empty as most my eggs wouldn't fit during turning even bantam eggs. Also, the turner produces a hint of it's own heat and is another reason for rotating egg location.. I got my best hatches hand turning.. but turners are convenient and still good hatch rates usually. Sounds like you get plenty of eggs daily... I wouldn't waste my time with the fridge eggs unless you need an experiment... many have hatched them successfully even from the grocery store.

Love my 1602N, worth every penny I spent. Hopes your's proves reliable as well.. once you get it dialed in!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

By the ‘perfect 7 days on the counter’ I just meant....I could wait to start until I have the eggs on the counter for 7 days, since that’s a great recommendEd resting period? So, do I wash the eggs? Last night I weighed them..not washed...some were as big as 68g..some down 54g...but they look very similar in size! Do you think egg size has anything to do with wheth or not you get a cockerel, or is that just due to the chicken size who laid it? So, when you say don’t put eggs right by the turner...can I fill all the rest of the holes? And, when you say move them around...you simply mean...pick them up, and move them from point a to point b? I’m asking dumb questions because I really thought they weren’t supposed to be touched much. We keep the house around 58* too...but, most of the world doesn’t...so thanks for understanding my goofy question about heat in the house!! . Ok, I think that’s all I can think of now. I’m also goin* to read along with the Easter hatch along, as I’m sure I’ll gain a lot of info there? You’re help is wonderful!!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

So, do I wash the eggs?

No, I try not to set poo eggs but if I need to... then washing with water warmer than the egg is suggested.

Last night I weighed them..not washed...some were as big as 68g..some down 54g...but they look very similar in size!

Done as a group or using the group total will give you the best picture sine individual eggs have differences in porosity and such and will have slightly differing evaporation rates and what you are looking at is the overall picture during this time.. keeping it good for most.

Do you think egg size has anything to do with wheth or not you get a cockerel, or is that just due to the chicken size who laid it?

Not the size nor the shape have ANYTHING to do with gender. It really is the bird who laid it. In chickens the hens input determines embryo gender... the opposite of humans. If you notice one hen always throwing boys... might be good to let her go. It's usually close to 50/50 in my experience so far. Egg size will impact chick size. Some breeds have standards set to not hatch eggs before reaching that size... in Bielefelder for example it's 60 grams. The chick will still reach it's overall genetic potential regardless of hatch size, IMO.

So, when you say don’t put eggs right by the turner...can I fill all the rest of the holes? And, when you say move them around...you simply mean...pick them up, and move them from point a to point b?

Exactly... again... everything is a guideline... according MY experience... this keeps my hatch frame within hours of each other instead of spread across a day or maybe two by ensuring even development even in warm or cool pockets. Something sitting in warm spot next to the turner may hatch 2 days earlier than the rest. Fans reduce this effect but I still use the same practice in both bator types. The main concern for handling eggs more... is the possibility of dropping or adding excess hand oils or bacteria and clogging pores diminishing air exchange. Be careful, stuff happens... this is MY preference but ALWAYS do what makes sense to YOU.

I’m asking dumb questions because I really thought they weren’t supposed to be touched much

To me the only dumb questions are the ones that don't get asked! Everyone has reasons they do what they do... sometimes things that make zero sense suddenly do when we understand WHY. I question EVERY THING that comes my way... it's a survival tool learned in my life. I'm not a sheeple... blindly following anyone.. I just try to be well informed and do my best with the information I have at the time. But always know that learning never stops and be open to new ideas... try it, if it don't work switch it up. Science.. is not fact... it's simply what we have the ability to perceive RIGHT NOW...

HAL's are great fun, you'll be an expert sharing your hatching wisdom and preferences in no time! If you think about it, tag me with your first hatch pics!

 

[Duckfarmer1]

No, I try not to set poo eggs but if I need to... then washing with water warmer than the egg is suggested.


Done as a group or using the group total will give you the best picture sine individual eggs have differences in porosity and such and will have slightly differing evaporation rates and what you are looking at is the overall picture during this time.. keeping it good for most.


Not the size nor the shape have ANYTHING to do with gender. It really is the bird who laid it. In chickens the hens input determines embryo gender... the opposite of humans. If you notice one hen always throwing boys... might be good to let her go. It's usually close to 50/50 in my experience so far. Egg size will impact chick size. Some breeds have standards set to not hatch eggs before reaching that size... in Bielefelder for example it's 60 grams. The chick will still reach it's overall genetic potential regardless of hatch size, IMO.


Exactly... again... everything is a guideline... according MY experience... this keeps my hatch frame within hours of each other instead of spread across a day or maybe two by ensuring even development even in warm or cool pockets. Something sitting in warm spot next to the turner may hatch 2 days earlier than the rest. Fans reduce this effect but I still use the same practice in both bator types. The main concern for handling eggs more... is the possibility of dropping or adding excess hand oils or bacteria and clogging pores diminishing air exchange. Be careful, stuff happens... this is MY preference but ALWAYS do what makes sense to YOU.


To me the only dumb questions are the ones that don't get asked! Everyone has reasons they do what they do... sometimes things that make zero sense suddenly do when we understand WHY. I question EVERY THING that comes my way... it's a survival tool learned in my life. I'm not a sheeple... blindly following anyone.. I just try to be well informed and do my best with the information I have at the time. But always know that learning never stops and be open to new ideas... try it, if it don't work switch it up. Science.. is not fact... it's simply what we have the ability to perceive RIGHT NOW...

HAL's are great fun, you'll be an expert sharing your hatching wisdom and preferences in no time! If you think about it, tag me with your first hatch pics!

Oh I will!! How could I not, with ALL the help you’re giving me!? I appreciate it sooo much!! I can’t wait to get started! The only down side...since the world is basically at a standstill, I will have more time to obsess...

 

[Duckfarmer1]

Ok, so I just reread the article about using a dry incubator. I remember that you had told me to remove the red plugs...I don5 see any...where would they be? The article says not to open the incubator until day 4...but we already discussed moving them around daily...I’m listening to you, ok? Then it again said don’t not open it at all from day 18 on...do I move the eggs then.....or are they right on that part?