Setting eggs tomorrow - 05/09/11 - first timer! Got some questions...

[sumi]

A friend of mine brought his new incubator around today. It's a home made one he bought from a guy who says he's been building them for years...
Anyway, he gave me 40 eggs to put in and I've got 20 eggs to put in. It's got space for 60+ eggs. Going to do that first thing tomorrow. Am a bit nervous as I've never used an incubator before!
Any advice or hatching buddies would be welcome!

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

Congrats on the new eggs. Any idea what they will be? I am living vicariously through others as I only have 2 laying hens and none of them are broody. I did have an incubator almost a decade ago and had good hatch rates..the first 18 days you want the humidy to be 40-55%. On the 18th day, increase it to 65-70%. Each day, turn the eggs an odd number of times, I turned them 3 times a day. Make sure the temperature stays between 99.5 and 102 F. Don't keep the incubator open for more than a minute, just to turn the eggs and add water. When they are hatching wait until most of them hatch or 24 hours whichever is sooner before taking a chick out. Good luck!

 

[sumi]

Thank you! I have some RIRx? roo's and mostly Lohmann Silver hens. Am not sure what my friend's eggs are from. We've got a bit of a mix between us. Should be an interesting hatch!
I'm going to give it a good go, fingers crossed. Have no incubator experience, so I'm looking here on the forum for tips and advice. I usually wait for a hen to go broody. Actually have one sitting now and her eggs are due to hatch tomorrow.
I think when turning the eggs I will have to be very quick, so I don't leave the door open too long. The guy who built the incubator told my friend to wet his hands and sort-of roll them over the eggs when he turns them? Does that work?

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

oo Lohmann silver hens, never heard of those they sound cool though. I didn't use water to roll my eggs, were his duck eggs? I would only do that if your humidity is kind of low, I don't know if it would be a good idea if the humidity is already past 50%.

 

[sumi]

They're all chicken eggs. Humidity's hovering around 50-55.
But I'm having problems with the temperature in there. The box is heated by 3 100w light bulbs which gives off quite a bit of heat. They are at the back of the box. I've turned the eggs and noticed that the eggs at the back are warmer to the touch than the ones right in front. The thermostat is in the middle.It tuned off when the temperature reading on the thermometer, which is in front where I can read it, was only 89! I think the bulbs are in the wrong place...
I hope the embryos, if any, are O.K. Going to candle this weekend and see if anything's happening.
We had to put a cloth over the door as well, as it's a bit warped and loses too much heat.
Well, we'll see in about 2 week's time

 

[bantamsrmyfav]

I tried the light bulb method, didn't work

The eggs in the front got cooked (I opened them and the egg white was actually opaque) while the ones in the back were cold to the touch..but I only had 1 light bulb, you may have better luck with 3. I would just make sure the temp stays between 99 and 102.

 

[sumi]

I need some help here, please... I'm a bit worried.
The eggs is on day 8 now. This afternoon the temperature in the bator dropped to 95, would that cause problems? It took me about 30min to get it back up to 100, which is where I'm trying to keep it.
I have to adjust the temperature all the time, it ranges from 99.5 to 103. I can't get it to stay constant. The humidity went from 50 to 55 during the day, is that O.K?
Sorry about the questions, you probably get them all the time, but I'm a complete novice here! I really want this hatch to go well.