Incubators Anonymous

[Overoberyl]

I bought a new Farm Innovators Model 4200 circulating air 'bator with automatic egg turner. I cannot get the temp consistent to save my life! It's either 98 F or 100 F- and on occasion 99.1. No matter how gently I turn the knob I can never achieve 99.5. Using a digital thermometer. Anyone have any experience with this type of incubator? Any advice would be appreciated. Last time I attempted to use the 'bator NONE of the eggs hatched.

Also, I have six of the newest shipped eggs in my mini-Brinsea (had good luck on hatches with that one, for the most part- just hatched six out of six eggs the week prior to Easter). However, one of the eggs is doing something I've never seen before. It has tiny clumps of what appears to be egg white leaking out onto the surface of the egg, almost like someone pricked the egg with a needle. The eggs have only been in there a day. What is going on? Just toss that one or candle it?

The egg is weeping. Unfortunately means it's no good and you should toss it. Those can turn into stinkers so I always get rid of them immediately.

 

[Runawaylobster]

here is my farm innovators with a 15 dollar digital thermostat I got from ebay and a 12V PC fan running on a 5V transformer from a cell phone. Prior to this modification I murdered a big batch of Delawares. now its an awesome incubator

Hey Oz.... by the way I received my thermostat but had also moved up to the Sportsman incubator so I have a new use for the thermostat.... I am going to hook it up to a fan inside the roof of the coop so that when it gets hot in the summer the fan will come on and cool the coop down!!! I can still use it for the LG though. I was going to sell the LG but i decided to keep it just in case the sportsman decided to break in the middle of a hatch and i had an emergency...

Lots of thanks for passing on your great idea....

 

[lcatty]

Thanks folks for the help! It is greatly appreciated.

Removed the scrambled egg from the Brinsea. Don't want any exploding eggs!

Glad some flucuation in temp does not mean certain death.

I have managed to get it at 99.3. Guess I'll leave it there. I kinda did a "feel" test comparing the FI bator with the Brinsea. They feel really similar as to temp and humidity, so hopefully I'm okay.

LIke the digital thermometer set-up. Think I'll try to get one of those in the near future. I wanted to get a bigger Brinsea so I could set 24 eggs but they are so darn expensive- three times what I spent on the FI bator.

I'll let ya'll know what happens.

 

[Runawaylobster]

I bought a new Farm Innovators Model 4200 circulating air 'bator with automatic egg turner. I cannot get the temp consistent to save my life! It's either 98 F or 100 F- and on occasion 99.1. No matter how gently I turn the knob I can never achieve 99.5. Using a digital thermometer. Anyone have any experience with this type of incubator? Any advice would be appreciated. Last time I attempted to use the 'bator NONE of the eggs hatched.

Also, I have six of the newest shipped eggs in my mini-Brinsea (had good luck on hatches with that one, for the most part- just hatched six out of six eggs the week prior to Easter). However, one of the eggs is doing something I've never seen before. It has tiny clumps of what appears to be egg white leaking out onto the surface of the egg, almost like someone pricked the egg with a needle. The eggs have only been in there a day. What is going on? Just toss that one or candle it?

I put my LG (which is similar to yours) inside a big closet so that it was out of the path of the AC vent, this helped alot. Then I also use a pair of pliers to turn the knob rather than turning it directly so i can make smaller turns. I found mine to be quite affected by the room temp so i had to run it in the house with the AC on.

 

[ThaiDye]

Thanks folks for the help! It is greatly appreciated.

Removed the scrambled egg from the Brinsea. Don't want any exploding eggs!

Glad some flucuation in temp does not mean certain death.

I have managed to get it at 99.3. Guess I'll leave it there. I kinda did a "feel" test comparing the FI bator with the Brinsea. They feel really similar as to temp and humidity, so hopefully I'm okay.

LIke the digital thermometer set-up. Think I'll try to get one of those in the near future. I wanted to get a bigger Brinsea so I could set 24 eggs but they are so darn expensive- three times what I spent on the FI bator.

I'll let ya'll know what happens.

I got my Brinsea for about $140. It's the older Octogon ECO 20 & manual turn, but you just turn the bator without opening it, so I'm cool with that. It holds temp perfectly and my research found they have the best hatch rates. Since the ECO Advance went out, I think the one I got is discontinued. I don't care for the glass thermometer, so I bought a Brinsea spotcheck. LOVE IT!! I got mine on Amazon. They messed up with the shipping (no rails or power cord, but EXCELLENT communication with the seller, so it was all right). It's amazing how good customer service can influence your opinion.

 

[PECULIARPETE]

I've got a Leahy Ol Favorite that is in mint condition. The operating manual is dated 1953. I've got everything for it, even the hygrometer cistern, the wire egg holders and turners. It uses a dual wafer thermostat. I set 12 dozen barny's in it for a test run, culled 15 at 1st candle. Then 6 more the 2nd candle. The temp and humidity set perfect. Hatch day was rite on time, and all of them lil buggars made it. All healthy, no crooked toes or bad hips. Best hatch I ever had! I just love this thing! For a 60 year old gator, it works,and looks like it just came out of the box. The best part was that I got it for 40 bucks!!!!! What a find!

 

[ChickNmamma]

I've got a Leahy Ol Favorite that is in mint condition. The operating manual is dated 1953. I've got everything for it, even the hygrometer cistern, the wire egg holders and turners. It uses a dual wafer thermostat. I set 12 dozen barny's in it for a test run, culled 15 at 1st candle. Then 6 more the 2nd candle. The temp and humidity set perfect. Hatch day was rite on time, and all of them lil buggars made it. All healthy, no crooked toes or bad hips. Best hatch I ever had! I just love this thing! For a 60 year old gator, it works,and looks like it just came out of the box. The best part was that I got it for 40 bucks!!!!! What a find!

No Kidding!

WOW!

 

[booneyman55]

I ALWAYS LET MY EGGS SET FOR 24 HOURS TO WARM UP, BUT, AFTER THAT I START INCUBATING. HAVE DONE IT THAT WAY FOR SEVERAL YEARS AND HAVE DONE OK SO FAR.

 

[booneyman55]

THAT WAS A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME DEAL ON THAT LARGE OF AN INCUBATOR. GREAT FIND AND GOOD HATCHING IN THE FUTURE.

 

[alycam]

Any advise for us that are new at incubating? I have lost all but one of my eggs in the last 3-4 days? What's happening? Anyone know?