12/12/2025
๐๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ข๐ฉ๐ฌ: ๐๐ฐ๐ธ ๐'๐ท๐ฆ ๐ข๐ค๐ฉ๐ช๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ฅ 90% + ๐ฉ๐ข๐ต๐ค๐ฉ ๐ณ๐ข๐ต๐ฆ๐ด. ๐ฃ
๐'๐๐ฒ ๐ฝ๐น๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐ฎ ๐ณ๐ฒ๐ ๐บ๐ฒ๐๐ต๐ผ๐ฑ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฎ๐บ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ถ๐๐๐ฒ๐ป๐๐น๐ ๐ด๐ฒ๐๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฌ-๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฌ% ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฐ๐ต ๐ฟ๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐. ๐ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฝ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ธ๐!
This has been my first season incubating and I have started with a Janoel 24S & a 60 Hex from Uneek Poultry. So far, Iโve run about a dozen hatches using the Janoel 24S to incubate and Janoel 60 Hex to hatch (have sometimes incubated in the hex too). ๐๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ข๐ณ๐ฆ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด ๐โ๐ท๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ฏ๐ต ๐ข๐ญ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐จ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐บ:
๐
๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐จ๐ญ & ๐๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ก๏ธ
โข Janoel 24S: I found the outer left and right edges sit up to 3 degrees cooler than the middle.
โข Janoel 60 Hex Cold Spot: The centre of the hex unit is the cooler zone, sitting 1-2 degrees cooler.
โข Use an independent thermometer/hygrometer and move it around to map temperature fluctuations. I avoid setting eggs in these cold spots โthose eggs usually quit. If your hot/cold spots are minor, you may be able to just regularly rotate eggs.
๐๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ข๐๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ ๐๐ซ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ฆ๐ฌ ๐ฆ
Initially, I was adding water to the tanks from Day 1 as per the instructions and I found I had chicks drowning during lockdown as they werenโt loosing enough moisture. My second hatch was awful, with only 3/15 hatching. After close inspection, all that failed appeared to have drowned. I felt dreadful. ๐ However, I had more already incubating, so I did some research...
โข I now dry incubate (no water) until lockdown. Iโm in SA and my indoor humidity generally sits around 30-35%, which has been ideal.
โข Lockdown (Days 18-21): My other problem was getting humidity above 40% (ideal for hatching is is 60-70%). Even with tanks full and wet sponges, I couldn't get close. So, I invested in a Kmart Humidifier ($49) and run it next to the hatcher. This has been a tremendous help and helps to raise humidity by around 15-20%. My hatch rates went from about 50% to 90/100% with the humidifier! I donโt worry so much about opening the lid during hatching either as the incubator no longer looses humidity.
โข I know you can also buy dehumidifiers - this may be an option if youโre having problems with TOO HIGH humidity - although this is something I havenโt experienced.
๐๐ก๐๐๐ค ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ฌ๐จ๐ซ!
In one instance, the temperature sensor probe in my 24S accidentally got tucked up high, which caused the machine to incorrectly think it's hot enough, resulting in under-heating. Thankfully I caught this before my eggs froze!
I highly recommend an external temperature/humidity reader to check how your machine compares - this is crucial anyway for checking hot/cold spots!
Just incase anyone was wondering about the volume of eggs Iโve got in the 24S: Due to the cold spots, with the auto turning tray in, I could only fit in maybe 16 eggs. Incubating really is an addiction (why would I eat an egg when I can hatch it ๐คทโโ๏ธ), so Iโve been manually turning 2-4 times per day and can squeeze in 40 or so. ๐
Treat your first few runs as a learning curve for your specific unit. Just because something has worked/not worked for someone with the same make/model that doesnโt necessarily mean it will be the same for you!
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐ง๐ ? ๐๐ก๐๐ญ'๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ #๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฉ?
