My incubator has counted down from 21 to 16 days until hatch day with perfect regularity. But when it comes to temperature and humidity its behavior is more erratic. I have turned the factory set 100º all the way down to 97º in order for the thermometer that is on top of the eggs to hover around the correct temperature of 99.5º to 100º. I might have cooked my eggs in the first couple of days. I’m really not sure, but I’m operating on the premises that I did not.

I have found that I have to go back and forth between 97º and 97.5º to keep the egg temperature hovering around the perfect mark, otherwise the incubator seems to eventually get too cold at the low setting or too hot at the high setting. The humidity has been all over the place, as low as 50% and as high as 70%. The humidity in the mud room where I’m keeping the incubator is generally at about 70%. I figure if it’s between temperature and humidity the correct temperature is probably the more important factor.

I’m glad that I purchased a model that came with an automatic egg turner. It has been performing its duty very well, and I am just as happy not to be worrying about turning eggs every few hours. To save myself from wasting a couple of weeks keeping some eggs warm that will never hatch, I plan to open the incubator for the first time since I placed the eggs in there, when I have 14 days remaining. I received a free electric candling device with my new incubator. It’s supposed help me determine what’s really going on between me and my eggs. Here’s to hoping that the eggs will reveal their true intentions, and our relationship will remain on good terms.