Maiden Voyage of the coolerbator

[Torch404]

I got the bug and decided to build a coolerbator. This will be my first time incubating.
I made the light bulb/water heater thermostat version. I may have damaged the thermostat when modifying it. When I tested it thoughI was getting 4 degree temp swings minimum so that wasn't going to work.

I ordered a cheap digital controller the MH1210 off ebay and while I waited for that to arrive I scrounged up a crock pot element.





I did add a strip of aluminum foil along the cage so the heating strip wasn't blasting the eggs directly with heat.

I was dreaming of an elaborate turning system but found when I put an egg carton in, it sat at almost the perfect tilt so I'll just spin the cartons around. I punched a pencil sized hole in the bottom of each egg pocket so their is air flow around the bottom of the egg.



I'm really Eggcited about the eggs I got. They are a barnyard mix but one of the roos was a beautiful blue arucana and some of the hens were arucana as well. I should be able to separate the blue eggs and hopfully get some pure arucana as well, EE's at worst. The other roo they has was a jersey giant so hopefully I'll be able to separate them young.

I set eggs on the 7th and spent two days tweaking it. The digital controller's logic is sort of odd but I think I have it worked out. I'm getting a temperature gradient but right now it seems to be holding at 99.7 on one end and 101 at the other. Humidity is holding at 30-40%. I'm shifting the cartons so they cycle through the zones. My fan is not super strong or I haven't figured out the best position for it, but for now everything seems to be holding temp but I don't know how well it is circulating. The fan is pointing strait up at the lid blowing over the heating strip.

I will update as I go thanks for checking in.

 

[Torch404]

At day 7 I can see viens in about 27 eggs. A couple were too dark to see through and some may have just been clears. I left them all in to be sure, I want a better candles light.

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[Torch404]

Candling random eggs and I dropped one of the good ones. Quickly did a search here and soon was dripping candle wax over the cracks. 12 more days hopefully they all make it.

 

[amynrichie]

 

[Torch404]

This is the 2nd time my water went dry and my temperature started swinging around.

Candled tonight took out six unfertalized. There were a couple welsummer eggs I couldn't quite see in but left them in.

 

[Torch404]

Lockdown initiated I only dumped the one egg I cracked and sealed up with wax as it seems to have stopped developing. 29 in we'll see how many come out.

I put in some wet napkins and a sponge but it right now my humidity is 45% need to get it up a little higher.

 

[Torch404]

The hatch went great! Ended up with 21/29 eggs over 70%. I'm quite happy with that for my first time! I'm ready to clean it out and go again.

One thing to note is that the screen that kept the fan / heating element enclosed had about 3/4in gap between that and the lid. One of the chicks some how made it up and over that. It didn't make it. I will be sure to fix that before the next try.

Over all it works great everyone should make one.