Chook Me!

I need help with an chicken incubator!!!?

I just borrowed an incubator, but I have no clue how to use all the tag saysis Marsh Automatic incubator . Can anyone tell me how to work this thing.

Public Comments

1. Oh where to start? lol I know it can seem overwhelming at first, it definitely was for me! Ok the first thing you should look at is to see if it is a still air or forced air incubator. The forced air one will have a fan which circulates the warm air around the incubator (this type of model works better). If it doesn't have a fan I know you can purchase them separately. If there is no fan be sure to measure your temperature reading at the TOP of the eggs. (see below for more on temp.) Regardless of the air situation most incubators have a coil one the top part which actually heats the air. In the bottom should be some air caps which need to be removed to allow air in....hatching chicks need air! You may notice that in the bottom are some grooves or trays in which you need to fill with water. This is one of the most important things! Humidity is one of the most important factors when incubating eggs. Once you have water in there there should be a metal mesh that sits on a ledge in the bottom. This is what you set the eggs on when beginning incubation. BUT before you do that you need to purchase (or it may come with) a digital thermometer and humidity reader. Place the thermometer in the incubator and close the cover. Plug in the incubator and it should begin running/heating up the air. It might kick in the fan if it is a forced air model. Let the incubator run for 24-48 hours so you can monitor it and learn exactly how it works. At the top should be a dial that you can adjust the temperature with. The optimal conditions for chickens eggs is 55% humidity for the first 20 days and 75%+ for the last day of incubation, and 101.5 degrees F for the entire incubation period. The only way to increase humidity is to increase surface area....depth of water has no effect. After a day or so when you feel comfortable with it you may place the eggs in and be sure to rotate them 2-3 times daily! This keeps the forming chick form sticking to the side of the egg. Good luck and monitor carefully! From my experience it is better to have the temperature drop in the incubator than it is to have it too hot! If you have any questions feel free to email me by clicking on my profile! Hope you get some good chicks!