Tips for someone who is making an incubator

[carsNchickens]

im currently constructing my DIY egg incubator. So far I've got a 30 quart rubbermaid container, lamp fixture, digital thermometer with temp. and humity settings, as well as some 1/4 inch mesh fencing for organization within the incubator. ive have researched some guidelines for hatching chicken eggs and would like some input on how to get the most successful hatch. I've heard that 99.5 degrees is the ideal temp. as well as 60% humidity. is this information correct?

 

[MuskokaChick]

I just made a homemade incubator and put 8 eggs in today...everything I read said 60% humidity...but after tonight's thread (I think it was called "incubator issues") I will check. I have now dropped my humidity from 60% down to 45%...

I just did the Styrofoam, with dimmer switch to control the heat, etc...

 

[MuskokaChick]

here is the link I was just reading on humidity

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=523555

 

[Wyogirl]

I also built my own incubator, day 3 and i saw signs of life in my eggs:yiipchick. I'm following a thread here that said not to worry about humidity antil lockdown soooo will see.
good luck
Ayda

 

[bhazell123]

That's my three day old quail baby I made my own incubator too

good luck

 

[Wyogirl]

That is way

cool! Thanks for posting!!
Ayda

 

[cmom]

NICE!!!

Mine, now I just use it as a brooder. I have a dimmer switch on the end.

 

[woody743]

I think the temp. should be 100.9 if you dont have a fan.

 

[stitch81]

Quote:
As far as humidity, that is a debate that still rages on. I'm using the dry hatch method. My humidity is running around 35% for incubating, and I'll up it to 70% for lockdown. Dry hatchers seem to agree that the higher humidity during incubation (50-60%) leads to the chick drowning in the egg once it pips. The higher humidity level during incubation does not seem to allow for enough evaporation in the egg, so when the chick pips into the air cell, the excess fluid rushes in there and drowns the chick. But, I'll also note, I'm a newbie working with my first hatch. What I have just mentioned is some of the information that I have been reading over the course of the past 2 weeks.

 

[quintinp]

here is my incubator with a few looks at some of the eggs that hatched in it

here's all the pics i have of it i had a 9 out of 9 hatch rate with my own chicken eggs i used the dry hatching method for this hatch