Should I go ahead with the incubator? I'm a little scared!

[Moochie]

I really want to hatch eggs from some of my favorite hens and my beloved rooster. Last time I used the hovabator out of 18 eggs only 2 hatched because I couldn't keep it at the right temp. I'm scared to do it again because what if I don't keep it at the right temp this time too? I would totally use a broody hen but I have no broodies at the moment! And what really sucks is that some of the eggs that didn't hatch had fully formed chicks in them, or chicks that quit halfway, or didn't develop at all.
Some of my favorite hens are getting close to that age where they stop laying and I want babies from them so I can be a happy chicken grandma.
Oh and I forgot what the ideal temp for incubating is.. 99.9 or 99.0? I remember one day it went over to 102 and I got scared out of my mind so I turned it down and it was anywhere from 95 to 98 during the next two weeks. Ergh.. You know what? I wish I could pay someone to use a broody that they have and collect the chicks once they hatch. Or pay someone to incubate my eggs if they're really good at hatching eggs.

 

[Habibs Hens]

go ahead and do it

run bator for 5 days rather than recommended 3

after all you learn from yoru mistakes


another thing you can do as i have done is buy a digital incubator with digital humidity pump

that way you set it and leave it

i use the brinsea Advance EX range and have 100% with my own eggs

 

[SouthernChicka8]

What ever you decide to do. I wish you the best luck.

 

[Moochie]

go ahead and do it

run bator for 5 days rather than recommended 3

after all you learn from yoru mistakes


another thing you can do as i have done is buy a digital incubator with digital humidity pump

that way you set it and leave it

i use the brinsea Advance EX range and have 100% with my own eggs

I really want a brinsea incubator but my mom refuses to put her credit card online. If I had the digital kind I'd be hatching like crazy! Another question, we have our air cooler on for most of the day so would I have to mess with the hovabator temp gauge alot because of that?

 

[cmtigger]

can you buy a prepaid credit card and use that to order it online without having to use your mom's card?

Though, I'm working with an LG, and my last hatch was bad, and it probably was because of the weather causing the temps to spike, the current hatch has been 15/26 and they hatched a day early, so I'm waiting to see if there are more. (I don't have an AC)

 

[Macro]

We've had a similar problem with the A/C. Not specifically with that type of incubator, however... Its possible that temperature changes like that could mess with the incubator. Do you have a room in which you could close the A/C vent? That's usually what we do to keep the air at consistently the same temperature.

 

[Quyen Le]

With AC on, you want to elevate it a little, don't put on the floor. Thermostat level is best because your house will have the same temperature at that level.

 

[Moochie]

can you buy a prepaid credit card and use that to order it online without having to use your mom's card?

Though, I'm working with an LG, and my last hatch was bad, and it probably was because of the weather causing the temps to spike, the current hatch has been 15/26 and they hatched a day early, so I'm waiting to see if there are more. (I don't have an AC)

Hmm, prepaid credit card.. That's a good idea. I could get one for my birthday maybe, I just might ask, and I hope the brinsea website takes prepaid cards. I'm gonna look around the house to find the best room for the incubator. When the AC is off (9pm usually) the house can get pretty warm. Upstairs gets more warm than downstairs because I think heat elevates or something like that..

 

[Habibs Hens]

Hmm, prepaid credit card.. That's a good idea. I could get one for my birthday maybe, I just might ask, and I hope the brinsea website takes prepaid cards. I'm gonna look around the house to find the best room for the incubator. When the AC is off (9pm usually) the house can get pretty warm. Upstairs gets more warm than downstairs because I think heat elevates or something like that..

i know brinsea UK accepts paypal and any credit card even prepayed

after all a prepayed is the same as a post payed

teh outside temp is only a worry if teh deviation is more that 5 degC 10 degF


same with humidity about 10%

personally i have never had issues with outside temp or humidity effecting incubator environment

but then i have a digital brinsea so it is constantly adjusting itself to keep the correct temps and humidity

 

[Moochie]

What kind do you have?
Do you know if the mini advance EX is good?