Kebonnix 12-egg Incubator Thread

[NewJourney]

I'm considering the Kebonnix incubator. I see that the current price on Amazon is $90. Is this the normal price for it?

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I paid $82, about 3 years back. Maybe just two. In any event, yes, that sounds about right.

 

[Westcoastflea1]

View attachment 3435261
Here my kebonnix is showing 99.5 but the mini thermometer inside showing 96

I have 3 hygrometers in mine. All three are very close temp/humidity wise to each.
Incubator is off by 10% for humidity and 4 degrees on temperature

 

[Westcoastflea1]

View attachment 3435261
Here my kebonnix is showing 99.5 but the mini thermometer inside showing 96

 

[Poodle Lucy]

A lot of this won't apply to other people's situations - but use what you think is best, and discard the rest. I'm still learning! I have a Kebonnixs incubator, bur also a bigger one from Incubator Warehouse. I use the same methods with both:

Egg selection & storage:
First, I'm rather picky about which eggs I choose. I only set eggs that my hens have laid, so I don't have to deal with shipping damage nor delays. I look for smooth shells with no imperfections, good egg shape, clean (I do NOT wash them), and weight between 65-70 grams. I store them in foam egg cartons on my kitchen counter for no more than 4-5 days prior to incubation. (I have included eggs which were under refrigeration for a day or two, and they all hatched with no issues. I let them naturally warm to room temperature before setting.)

Incubator setup & placement:
I've added a liner of rubbery shelf liner to the base, to help prevent spraddle leg and assist turning - trimmed back a bit so the turner doesn't snag it, and held in place with a few bits of double-sided tape. The incubator is placed in a room where there is little change in air temperature or humidity, and out of direct sunlight. I run it for at least 24 hours before setting eggs, to stabilize temperature and humidity. I've also used layers of paper towels, torn in scraps to fit, then soaked them with water so they'll flatten out and mat together, and left alone to dry for a few days. This way, they don't roll up or snag.

Temperature and humidity, vent, egg position:
I use a graphite pencil to mark eggs with their starting weight and number them, and I place them with the small end towards the center of the unit. I maintain 99.3-100.1-deg-F temperature throughout the hatch. I seek humidity of 35-48% for the first 18 days, then bump it up to 70-80% for the last 3 days. I keep the vent fully open, unless humidity is lower and I need to bump it up - and then I only close it halfway until stabilized, then I open it fully again.

Candling:
I candle usually at Days 5, 11, and 18. I hold eggs over a soft, fluffy scrap of blanket while candling to prevent damage if I happen to drop one. While the incubator lid is off for candling, I place a kitchen towel over the eggs to maintain temperature and try to get through the process as quickly as possible, but not rushed - to prevent damage or mistakes.

Maintenance and monitoring:
I test the turner once every day, and I clean dander from the fan surface with a toothbrush. I monitor temperature and humidity 2-3 times a day and add warm water as needed. I've had backup thermometer/hygrometers in the unit, but cannot seem to get readings that agree with each other or the unit's own gauge. So I finally just put them away and keep my fingers crossed that the unit's gauge is close enough.

Logsheet:
I keep a log on each batch - recording starting weight, candling weights, target hatch weight (13% loss from the date of set), date and time of external pip, date and time of hatch, and any issues noted during the incubation and hatching process. I don't mark air cells (takes too much time), unless there is a saddled cell or one that's abnormally large or small. Then I watch those air cells carefully. I also watch the weight loss to be sure it's still on target for the approximate date of candling. I use a digital kitchen scale, and record weights in grams, not ounces. The logsheet helps me learn about what works and what doesn't, and when to assist.

Logging pip times & assisting:
I log the date and time of each external pip, so that I can keep track of the number of hours of progress. This requires me to open the incubator several times over the next 2-3 days, as I'm also looking for any pips on the bottom of eggs. If they pip on the bottom, I turn them so the pip is facing UP to prevent drowning in their own fluid. I often assist in hatching if the chick has gone 18+ hours with no progress, the blood vessels have dried up, AND signs of shrink-wrapping are starting. I work very slowly with an assist, sometimes taking a few hours. I try to let the chick do most of the work.

This is wonderful information. I also have a kebonnixs 12 egg incubator and it just reached 3 days to go! I took out the egg turner, opened the vent completely and restored the gray cover over the reservoirs inside. My question is how should I cut the shelf liner to fit the space as you described? Could you possibly take a pic? I really appreciate the detailed info.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

This is wonderful information. I also have a kebonnixs 12 egg incubator and it just reached 3 days to go! I took out the egg turner, opened the vent completely and restored the gray cover over the reservoirs inside. My question is how should I cut the shelf liner to fit the space as you described? Could you possibly take a pic? I really appreciate the detailed info.

You're welcome! I use the yellow circular grid that keeps the eggs separated to mark the outer and inner circles onto the liner, then I cut the liner - offset by about 1/4 to 3/8-inch for both circles - so that it fits inside the tray with a margin of clear space all around the edges, so that the grid doesn't snag on it anywhere. Then check it with the turner in place and retrim as necessary. I've found I have to use double-stick tape in 4-5 places just to keep the liner from shifting position.

My incubator is currently loaded and on Day 3 of incubation, so I couldn't get a photo of just the liner. Hopefully you can see how the edges of the green liner were trimmed back in these photos: