Still Incubators...

[Brunty_Farms]

What's the hatch rate people have on these incubators?

 

[KellyHM]

I'm assuming you mean still air incubators? I get 90-100% on my eggs...of course it's less for shipped eggs.

 

[dancingbear]

Hi Jeff, that's a tough question. There are so many variables that can affect your hatch rate. Everything from a person's incubating knowledge and skills, to what breed you're incubating, (some are easier to hatch than others) the age and condition of the eggs, whether they were shipped or not, power outages, how accurate your thermometer or hygrometer is, how humid your climate is, whether the room was drafty, on and on.

Some people get 100% hatches, some can barely get an egg to pip. I'm sure there are a lot more factors than the make and model of incubator.

I added a fan kit to my LG, and get more even temps now, so I don't have to worry about cold spots in the 'bator. And I added a turner, which makes life easier for me.

With shipped eggs, I have a poor hatch rate, with eggs from my own hens, it's pretty good. I have 2 dozen of mine in now, I can tell you a percentage in a couple of weeks.

 

[PlumTuckered]

We recently bought a still air hovabator and turner. We put a dozen eggs in it and yesterday went on lock down. The chicks were due to start hatching tomorrow but one hatched this evening and another 2 are pipped
This is my only experience with an incubator.

Michelle

 

[Brunty_Farms]

I know the factors that are involved.... I use to have two of the forced air models that McMurray supplied *now that I look back I realized how crazy their prices are*

I always had 70% hatches and up but they were forced air... I have since gave those incubators to relatives to use and never got them back as I thought.... I was done hatching chicks as just raise the Golden Comet Layers and the Broilers.

But here to have it... I'm now going to be hatching Buckeyes...

I have 70 eggs ready to go into "incubation". I'm hopping to get at least a 50% hatch rate out of these shipped eggs from North Carolina but I know that's a long shot.

I'm going to put 30 of the eggs under my two broody Golden Comets... they have gone broody for about a week now and I'm confident they are ready... first time mothers... cross your fingers. I figured the eggs will have a better chance of hatching under the broodys then in an incubator.

I was just curious to your hatch rates on still air incubator models... on shipped eggs?

Any tips for these incubators?

Also I did receive a lot of "dirty" eggs that need to be cleaned.... should I just use warm water to clean them? Or just let them go? I've never set dirty eggs as most eggs I get are clean.... but these are valuble eggs and every one counts.

 

[dancingbear]

I wash the dirty ones before I set them, and it doesn't seem to make a bit of difference in the hatch rate. I think bacterial contamination is a much bigger risk than washing them.

Hatcheries fumigate them, or dip them in a sanitizer, such as 10% bleach solution. They get a high hatch rate, or they wouldn't still be doing this. Considering the toxicity of the fumigation chemicals, (formalin and potassium permanganate)
somehow I don't think dish soap and water will do them any harm at all.

Good luck with your Buckeyes! I tried to hatch some earlier this year, but mine didn't hatch. (shipped eggs, with very badly damaged air cells) I really want some of those!