Totally NEWBIE Questions

[PriceFamilyFarms]

I have my LG still air regulated, been holding at 99.5 for 16 hours now, just went by and picked up 3 dozen aggs from a local supplier and planning on getting them in when my wife gets home today...

Question #1 - I'm not using an egg turner, so, do I start turning them tomorrow ifI set them tonight? I know I need to turn them 3x per day, how long should I wait in between turns.

Question #2 - I left the egg suppliers house without checking the eggs and when I got home there a a few that are dirty. Should I clean them or just let it go? Also the supplier marked on the top of the eggs with a marker. Is that gonna harm the eggs?

Thanks Everyone!!

 

[glenolam]

Quote:
Start turning tomorrow. Your eggs will need the first 12 hours to warm up to the right temp. You don't necessarily need to turn them 3x day, but if you do, every 6 hrs is fine (or around there). I turn mine 2x - usually at 7 am and 7 pm.

Quote:
Dirty and marks are fine. Some people say that if you wash the eggs you get rid of some layer that protects them from bacteria, but I've left my eggs washed and unwashed and they all came out the same.

Good luck!

 

[muddyhorse]

I would suggest hatching the eggs in cartons. just use the bottom half. put them in pointy end down. then you can tilt the WHOLE incubator to turn the eggs. Just place something under one side of the bator move it every couple of hours. that way you don't have to open the bator to turn the eggs. you can wipe off a dirty eggs but I would not get it wet , how dirty are they ? what kind are you hatching ?

 

[PhilErvin]

I totally agree with the previous post.

Good Luck and welcome to this addiction

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Start turning tomorrow. Your eggs will need the first 12 hours to warm up to the right temp. You don't necessarily need to turn them 3x day, but if you do, every 6 hrs is fine (or around there). I turn mine 2x - usually at 7 am and 7 pm.

Quote:
Dirty and marks are fine. Some people say that if you wash the eggs you get rid of some layer that protects them from bacteria, but I've left my eggs washed and unwashed and they all came out the same.

Good luck!

I think it is recommended to turn the eggs an odd number of times per day. This lets the eggs rest on a different side during the long rest period each night.

If the "dirt" can be wiped off easily with a mostly dry paper towel then I'd wipe them off. If it looks like cement (poo) then you might want to use an emory board or sandpaper to sand off a bit of the poop but don't scrub down to the eggshell.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[PriceFamilyFarms]

Wow!! I love this forum!! Just over an hour and all my questions were answered with detailed answers - THANK YOU ALL!!!

If I keep the eggs in the cartons, what about water to control humidity - won't it just leak everywhere?

Also, does it matter if the cartons I leave them in are foam or paper?

Thanks again!

 

[PriceFamilyFarms]

Oh and Muddyhorse - I'm hatching a dozen of each, Buff Orpingtons, Deleware and RIR.

 

[muddyhorse]

I use paper cartons. I use sponges to keep up the humidity. I have a reptile humidity gauge in the bator. good luck

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Well, if you tilt the incubator enough that the water reaches the vent holes then yes it will leak. You could seal the vent holes and make some a bit higher up on the sides. Or you could just reach in and tilt the cartons...the mother hen gets up off the eggs every now and then. For some reason I feel that the occasional influx of fresh air is good...I know it will lower the humidity a bit but if you're not struggling to keep the humidity high enough then it seems it wouldn't really be an issue and the humidity would recoup fairly quickly.

Ed

 

[PriceFamilyFarms]

thank you all for you suggestions! Today is hatch day and I have 11 chicks so far and still more working their way out of the shell.

I wound up using the dry method and kept the eggs in the cartons turning 3 times a day by placing a thick book under the LG. On day 18 I took the eggs and placed them on their sides and added sponges to bring the humidity up to 70% average.

I've got another incubator working with a turner this time, dry method due to hatch on the 11th