The Incubator Thread

[PD-Riverman]

I think most things I read say around 55 early stages and 65/70% last few days?

I hatch alot of eggs-----sure would not want my first 18 days to be that high, but those settings might work in your area.

 

[lazy gardener]

HELLO......HELP
I have just got a new incubator its a Janoel 48 tilts rather than turns. Problem is I can't find anywhere as to how much water I should be putting in at the start of incubation. It has five channels and small ones on each corner....anyone else using one of these....regards gary

Hi Gary. What day are you on, or have you not started yet? I recommend that you not set eggs until you've had that bator up and running for a few days. You also should calibrate your hygrometer and your thermometer. I like to calibrate my thermometer to 100*F by using a medical grade thermometer in a cup of 100* water. Many hatchers are finding that keeping the humidity down to 30 - 40% during the first 18 days makes a much more successful hatch. I recommend that you read "Hatching eggs 101" in the learning center before starting to incubate. There are plenty of other awesome articles there to get you off to a successful hatch.
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Originally Posted by gksym007

I think most things I read say around 55 early stages and 65/70% last few days?
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I recommend that you read the following articles.


https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method

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

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/yes-you-certainly-can-brood-chicks-outdoors

I wish you the best.

 

[gksym007]

Hi Thanks for all the info everyone. Have hatched other eggs in another incubator with 60% first time and fitted an hygrometer and got about 40% and was very unhappy with that , hence the new incubator. Have had it on for a couple of days trying to get it stable and have 37.5 temp and 45% humility and decided to go with that. Put the eggs in this morning nz time. Got 36 eggs in and will see what happen. . ........ watch this space folks

 

[gimmie birdies]

Just put 5 eggs under momma hen 4 leghorn/americuan mixes and an Americauna/mystery egg.

 

[gander007]

I woke up to this in the morning two Russian Orloff chicks and three Easter Egger's

Barley day 18 and they are ready to take off running ...

I put the eggs in the incubator as the chickens produce them so I am only getting a few at a time and it also seems to keep a limited amount of chicks in the brooder at any given time and by week 6 the chicks have enough feathers to go outside to the grow out pen

gander007

 

[lazy gardener]

So you do a staggered hatch? If so, please tell us about how you manage it with humidity... etc. Do you have a hatching bator, or incubate and hatch all in the same bator? Congrats on the hatch. That's quite the pile of little chicks! Do you have a ready market for them, especially at this time of the year???

 

[gimmie birdies]

I do staggered hatch a lot, not lately, I have not hatched any.

 

[gander007]

So you do a staggered hatch? If so, please tell us about how you manage it with humidity... etc. Do you have a hatching bator, or incubate and hatch all in the same bator? Congrats on the hatch. That's quite the pile of little chicks! Do you have a ready market for them, especially at this time of the year???

After the first couple of hatches it seems to get easier to hatch as long as the incubator is not turned off and I have no reason why it just seems to work that way and the humidity is all handled by the towel the chicks are standing on at the back of the incubator and I soak the hand towel once a week or so and try not to let it get to dry and yes I do soak it in hot water the humidity seems to average around 50% and different times of year I have to adjust less or more humidity .......



This is my incubator I purchased in 1997 as the other one I had just crumbled in a move but this one is hanging in there

I have hatched everything from quail to geese in this incubator and sometimes I would have chicken and duck eggs in the incubator at the same time but when I do such a mix you can bet the eggs come from the yard .....

This is the inside of the brooder I have had for many decades and it still works even with the abuse

And my market most people come to the house or meet me in town to pick up the livestock and I do list on the sale trend

Some of the yard birds that get me up every morning

gander007

 

[gimmie birdies]

I love it when everyone gets along.

 

[gksym007]

What a great Idea.