The Incubator Thread

[emvickrey]

I am novice but had good success this year with goose and chicken eggs. I think the refrigerator may be too cold but I have a wine cooler that seems to be just the right temperature. I put eggs in there in egg cartoons while I collect them for hatch.

Before I decided to try an experiment I had no intention on hatching those eggs. That's why they where in the fridge. Normally I keep eggs intended for hatching in an air conditioned room. A cooler that is warmer than a fridge would be a good idea. The eggs wouldn't get as cold.

 

[chickengeorgeto]

Before I decided to try an experiment I had no intention on hatching those eggs. That's why they where in the fridge. Normally I keep eggs intended for hatching in an air conditioned room. A cooler that is warmer than a fridge would be a good idea. The eggs wouldn't get as cold.

There is more to insuring a good hatch besides temperature.

You also need to think about light, vibrations, as well as moving your hatching eggs an odd number of times every day.

Some other things that you may not have thought of is the effect that the sap, or raisin leaking out of wood shavings has on the embryo.

Then last but not least is the important question of humidity.

And don't forget that the care and feeding of a hatching egg starts the moment that the egg is laid and it is all downhill from there on out. It's chances of hatching never improves, it is all up to you to make it happen.

 

[B520]

I have brinsea mini advance and its full of silkie eggs.

In the manual it says to fill half water until lockdown where u then fill it to the brim.

I've then been told to do this but also fill both halves at 10 days remaining.

Which is best?

 

[WVduckchick]

[COLOR=333333]I have brinsea mini advance and its full of silkie eggs.[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]In the manual it says to fill half water until lockdown where u then fill it to the brim.[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]I've then been told to do this but also fill both halves at 10 days remaining.[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]
[/COLOR][COLOR=333333]Which is best?[/COLOR]

Humidity is a huge variable. Where are you located? How is the humidity in your area?

Places where its very humid this time of year, like it is where I live in WV, I dont add any water, and it still maintains 35% humidity in the bator. Very dry locations may need to add some water, so they don't get too dry. Higher elevations are even different.

Usually most folks do best somewhere in the 25-40% range. I shoot for 32% as a random number. Then I watch air cells for proper growth. (I candle often).

Egg porosity also affects this number. More porous eggs may need higher humidity to not loose too much too fast, and vice versa...very dense shells need lower. My silkies usually did better with a slightly higher humidity than others, but still depends on their shell.

Then 3 days before hatch day, raise the humidity to around 60-70%. That usually works for me and most folks I know.

 

[emvickrey]

Humidity is a huge variable. Where are you located? How is the humidity in your area?

Places where its very humid this time of year, like it is where I live in WV, I dont add any water, and it still maintains 35% humidity in the bator. Very dry locations may need to add some water, so they don't get too dry. Higher elevations are even different.

Usually most folks do best somewhere in the 25-40% range. I shoot for 32% as a random number. Then I watch air cells for proper growth. (I candle often).

Egg porosity also affects this number. More porous eggs may need higher humidity to not loose too much too fast, and vice versa...very dense shells need lower. My silkies usually did better with a slightly higher humidity than others, but still depends on their shell.

Then 3 days before hatch day, raise the humidity to around 60-70%. That usually works for me and most folks I know.

I have to say during my experiment that our humidity was way up there in the 90's. It effected my bator none at all. Although it was in an airconditioned room. It is one of the kids rooms. So alot of noise, vibrations. These eggs went up against alot of things to prevent them from hatching. What stopped 1 egg from hatching was the hen kicking it out of the nest. I gave the hen most of the eggs at lock down. i gave her 6 and she kept 2. These are paint silkies and seem to be harder to hatch.

 

[dragonlord483]

Can the water from a dehumidifier be used to humidifi if using a fogger to add humidity

 

[Sienatiger]

Is it better to let a broody hen hatch the eggs or hatch them in an incubator?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Is it better to let a broody hen hatch the eggs or hatch them in an incubator?

It depends what you mean by better and whether you have a place to separate a broody with chicks, or of you don't that you don't have any mean hens that will try to attack the chicks or unintentionally break incubating eggs, that sort of thing.

 

[romien]

There are so many posts on this thread, it would take me forever to go through it all, so I am hoping someone here can quickly answer my question.
I never incubated eggs before and my silky hen is laying but not sitting. She is still very young and I have been putting the eggs in the fridge. I would really like to hatch a couple so here are my questions:
What is the best incubator for small amount of eggs?
How long is the gestation for a silky?
Can I hatch the eggs that have been in the fridge?
What temperature do I keep the incubator at?
Any other help is much appreciated.!

 

[molly1chickens]

There are so many posts on this thread, it would take me forever to go through it all, so I am hoping someone here can quickly answer my question.
I never incubated eggs before and my silky hen is laying but not sitting. She is still very young and I have been putting the eggs in the fridge. I would really like to hatch a couple so here are my questions:
What is the best incubator for small amount of eggs?
How long is the gestation for a silky?
Can I hatch the eggs that have been in the fridge?
What temperature do I keep the incubator at?
Any other help is much appreciated.!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kenley-Aut...or-Chicken/dp/B012OJ3TXY/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brinsea-Mi..._SR157,160_&psc=1&refRID=EFD1FVXREZ1NM1EJ33P3

I love these two, they hatch 12 and 10 eggs and have automatic turning systems, humidity + temperature measurements and are cheap.