As my eggs have incubated over the past couple of weeks, a few questions have arisen.
First, as I previously mentioned, the temperature spiked after I placed the eggs in the incubator. I researched the question, but the best answer I found was a vague article mentioning that it may be due to chick development, particularly around days 12-14. The temperature spiked after I put the eggs in, but slowly decreased back towards normal, this was mildly frustrating for a while, as it required frequent adjustments or the temperature would get way to low. The last few days, the heat has began to rise back up. (Right on schedule, according to the information I found.) I think this may be because the chicks inside the eggs put off heat of their own, which adds to the heat you are already applying.
Another issue I had been wondering about was smell. This did not turn out to be major problem most of the time. However, when an egg dies, if it is not found soon enough, it will smell. Trust me.
I also wondered how often water would need to be added to the incubator to prevent lowered humidity levels. Every 48 hours or so is frequent enough. You might be able to get by for a little longer, but it’s best not to push your luck. I keep the red vent plugs out, and this probably makes it so I have to add water more frequently than someone who kept them in.