Very first time hatching eggs

[jlbpooh]

I let everybody warm up to room temperature first on their sides while I was fooling with getting the incubator running proper temps. These were pullet eggs. The mama was only 8 months old, but she has laid 5-6 eggs a week since October. My current chickens are all mixed breeds, not sure with what. My new ones will be 5 buff orpingtons, 5 australorps, and 5 silver laced wyandottes.

I forgot to say that I have 2 pullets two roosters, and 7 guineas.

 

[spencereb]

I purchased a hygrometer, but according to the hygrometer, I did not consistantly keep my humidity levels up high enough. I kept a bowl of water with a sponge in each corner, for three weeks, and it worked, since almost all the eggs hatched. I'm not real sure the hygrometer is accurate and/or necessary as long as you be sure to keep several moist sponges evaporating for three weeks. The humidity is very important.
-Spence

 

[lilshadow]

okay I am going to give it a shot why not right. How did you figure out to get your humidity up.

 

[lilshadow]

Quote:
Hey Spence where at in TN are you from...I am from Newport TN. East TN

 

[jlbpooh]

For the humidity, I finally filled all my little trough things intead of only 2 and added 3 wet sponges. I have a little giant still air

 

[MissPrissy]

I put eggs in late last night. Today was day 1.

May I suggest you put more eggs in the bator to help maintain the heat? 1 or 2 eggs and the temps will not settle in and remain steady.

 

[lilshadow]

Okay I will set more eggs in there. MissPrissy I am so nervous about this.

 

[MissPrissy]

You can also try adding a couple jars of 100F degree water to act like a heat sink to help maintain the temp at a more steady and stable rate.

 

[lilshadow]

Okay, my temp is steady staying right on, the humidity is low though. Do I need to have the vents open at all or not?

 

[BirdBoy88]

it's dumb how most incubators don't come with a humidity reader cuz the one my uncle got came without one but he still put 20 eggs in an 14 hatched out