rookie with an incubator

[chickaroo3]

Hello All,

I have done all of my research and got my first set of 8 eggs in the mail the yesterday. I let them warm up and settle for 24 hours and have just placed them in the incubator....obavator still air with egg turner...I had the temp to 99.5 and the humidity to 40%, but once I set the eggs in the temp obviously dropped....it has been about 3 hours now and the temp is still fighting to get up there and the humidity has dropped to 36%.

Should I expect to have the temp fluctuate and if so how much is too much and what should the humidity be....what is too low and what is too high?

thanks
all

 

[Glenmar]

humidity could be 30 and you would still be fine. I would not worry so much about that. I am not familiar with that incubator.
Hopefully your temp will come up some with time.

 

[tmoore8595]

It will take several hours for the temp. to recover because the eggs have to warm up. I try to maintain a temp. between 100 and 101 in a still air incubator. The humidity is not as critical as the temp., I shoot for 30 to 45% for the first 18 days and 75 to 80% for the last 3 days.

 

[Fly Fisher]

You will also notice a temp change each time you add water to control your humidity. This is normal and you should give it time to stablize rather than making adjustments.

 

[chickaroo3]

Is it normal that after the incubator is opened it does not return to the previous temp?

Thank you all for the info....I feel like a nervous soon to be dad all over again....just wanna get it right because my 6 year old is all excited...lol.... It stabilized out at 98.4 after over 5 hours so I am thinking adjustments are necessary....again thanks for the info...I will be shooting for the 100-101 and 30-45...If there are any other words of wisdom feel free to let me know...

 

[tmoore8595]

Don't adjust the temp. until it stops going up, this could take 12 hours or more. When it stops going up, adjust to 100 to 101 degrees.

Good luck, and welcome to the forum.

 

[chickaroo3]

lol....rookie mistake #1 (of many I am sure) Already adjusted temp! OOOPS....I have been monitoring it about every half an hour and it is sitting at between 99.2 and 99.5....humidity is steady. I guess I will sit up abit longer to ensure that the temp has stabilized and then call it a night. Thanks all

 

[chickaroo3]

Ok...after rookie mistake #2 yesterday (not having thermometer on top of eggs) today has been pretty uneventful....the temp on top of the eggs is at 100 degress and the humidity is between 35 and 37 percent. Looking forward to candling in the next couple days....should I candle all of the eggs or just a few?

 

[kathyinmo]

What kind of incubator do you have? Is it a HovaBator still air?
Still air temp should be around 101.5
Circulated air at 99.5
Temperature varies from time to time. You must take the high and the low and average them.

 

[FLITZ]

So please someone help with this. a still air little giant. with a thermometer mostly on top.
what is the perfect temp...and what temp can you get by with and still be in good shape..please note its a still air

also
what about humidity

is 98-102 acceptable

for the first 18 days should it be between 40-50% or 35-45%

Im confused due to mine being still are and its my first time.. setting it up and putting eggs in friday