- Dec 30, 2009
- 9
- 2
- 9
I'm asking this question mostly just to satisfy curiosity about the Hovabator I recently bought, rather than really needing to solve the problem (since I plan to toss the Hovabator). I have another incubator (Brinsea mini) that I've used 5 times and had 90%+ success every time. I got the Hovabator (newest Genesis model) in order to do larger batches. I've used it twice, and both times the chicks developed to the point of pipping (or just before), and then died. I've examined the fetuses and find no evidence of disease or deformations. The eggs didn't appear "shrink-wrapped" either. So, out of 14 eggs I've gotten zero from the Hovabator.
After the first Hovabator failure, I decided to experiment by running two sets of eggs from the same group, one set in the Brinsea, one set in the Hovabator (7 in each). I mention that they are from the same group to account for genetic issues, rough handling, disease, weak stock. I ended up removing one infertile egg from each incubator, so 6 fertile eggs in each incubator were left to hatch. All the Brinsea eggs hatched on day 20. On day 22, one egg in the Hovabator started to pip, but then died. The other eggs in the Hovabator were developed, but didn't pip.
I used two additional thermometers in the Hovabator, and it seems to me that the one that came with the incubator is at least two degrees off. I recalibrated the incubator to a known good thermometer, but I still observed swings from my desired 99.5 F. (I keep the room at 65 degrees). I didn't check the humidity guage, but the air spaces seemed proportionate at the end of 21 days. If anything, the humidity might have been slightly lower than the 55%-60% the gauge read.
So, here's the question: The Hovabator seems to get rave reviews here and elsewhere, but I can't seem to hatch a single egg. I would be the first to point the finger squarely at "user error," but I seem to be doing fine with the Binsea. Is there some trick to the Hovabator I'm missing?
Thanks
After the first Hovabator failure, I decided to experiment by running two sets of eggs from the same group, one set in the Brinsea, one set in the Hovabator (7 in each). I mention that they are from the same group to account for genetic issues, rough handling, disease, weak stock. I ended up removing one infertile egg from each incubator, so 6 fertile eggs in each incubator were left to hatch. All the Brinsea eggs hatched on day 20. On day 22, one egg in the Hovabator started to pip, but then died. The other eggs in the Hovabator were developed, but didn't pip.
I used two additional thermometers in the Hovabator, and it seems to me that the one that came with the incubator is at least two degrees off. I recalibrated the incubator to a known good thermometer, but I still observed swings from my desired 99.5 F. (I keep the room at 65 degrees). I didn't check the humidity guage, but the air spaces seemed proportionate at the end of 21 days. If anything, the humidity might have been slightly lower than the 55%-60% the gauge read.
So, here's the question: The Hovabator seems to get rave reviews here and elsewhere, but I can't seem to hatch a single egg. I would be the first to point the finger squarely at "user error," but I seem to be doing fine with the Binsea. Is there some trick to the Hovabator I'm missing?
Thanks
