Rookie Question

[baseballchick]

I have a little giant incubator. No fan.

The temp says for chicken eggs it should be at 99.5, however, I have read it should be somewhere higher (101-102). Reading mixed things in different places is a bit confusing and thus us my first time hatching. I am trying to get everything stable before I set the eggs. Humidity was around 45, stable so far, also the red plugs, remove or no?

Any help is very much appreciated!!

 

[sumi]

If there is no fan it is a "still air" incubator. In a still air incubator you should aim for 101*-102*F measured on top of the eggs. In a forced air incubator (with a fan) the temperature should be 99-99.5*F measured anywhere in the incubator.

I am not familiar with that incubator model, so I hope someone who has one can advice you on the plugs. What I would say is that there should be some ventilation to allow oxygen for the developing embryos and closer to the end of the incubation period, when they get ready to hatch, the ventilation should be increased. I normally open the vent hole on my incubator all the way when I lockdown on day 18.

Here is a wonderful article on incubation that I think you will enjoy:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Best of luck with your hatch(es)!

 

[baseballchick]

Thank you so much! I did read that article! It was very good, lots if info!

It was the info from that article that made me ask the question, because of things I had read elsewhere...

My fingers are crossed! Thanks for the reply!