Styrofoam Incubators Club

[Coreenelane]

A lot about temp. controls, My new Little Giant 11 days old, is NOT heating up to the temperature that is displayed (99.5) took 4 days of checking out thermometers going to 2 different stores and getting 3 types of thermometers. Contacted the company and she implied that they will take care of it. The reading was under 84 degrees by the new thermometer and the incubator was showing 95 degrees. I also think the humidity control is off set. So what I need to know now is can the eggs be saved?. I see dark blobs and see movement inside after the egg has been still.. The air pocket is the right size and the eggs have warmed up. What does the live fetus look like on the 10th day? I took out 3 eggs that showed no signs of being fertil. What other steps can I take besides just waiting? Can the eggs mature after lower temperatures? I remember that years ago my ducks wouldn"t sit on their eggs until they had over a doz. to sit on and the night temps. were pretty chilly. Is a lower starting temp. not as crucial as too hot? Is there anything else I can reag up on ?

 

[MeepBeep]

The foam CTE moving the resistor does make sense. I would have bet money there wasn't a sensor in there. Hopefully their digital controls are better, it would be nice if they had a calibration feature. I think I will stick to the $16 aquarium controllers. 

The 'sensor' is just a thermistor (a resistor who's value varies by temp) it's balanced in a teeter-totter like circuit with the variable resistor you twist to adjust, it's fine tuned balancing act...

You can get a $4 delivered digital module on Ebay that is far more reliable then the ones included with the foam kits... But you need a 12V wall wart to drive them, and do a little rewiring of the heating element...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/401077572526?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

 

[MeepBeep]

A lot about temp. controls, My new Little Giant 11 days old, is NOT heating up to the temperature that is displayed (99.5) took 4 days of checking out thermometers going to 2 different stores and getting 3 types of thermometers. Contacted the company and she implied that they will take care of it. The reading was under 84 degrees by the new thermometer and the incubator was showing 95 degrees. I also think the humidity control is off set. So what I need to know now is can the eggs be saved?. I see dark blobs and see movement inside after the egg has been still.. The air pocket is the right size and the eggs have warmed up. What does the live fetus look like on the 10th day? I took out 3 eggs that showed no signs of being fertil. What other steps can I take besides just waiting? Can the eggs mature after lower temperatures? I remember that years ago my ducks wouldn"t sit on their eggs until they had over a doz. to sit on and the night temps. were pretty chilly. Is a lower starting temp. not as crucial as too hot? Is there anything else I can reag up on ?

What the embryo looks like at 10 days at 99.5° will be entirely different then what it looks like if it was incubated at 84°, if you are seeing movement the eggs can likley be saved if you bring the temp up to the proper levels, it will just take longer for them to develop 21+ days and you run a higher risk of still born or birth defects..

 

[Coreenelane]

Quote:What the embryo looks like at 10 days at 99.5° will be entirely different then what it looks like if it was incubated at 84°, if you are seeing movement the eggs can likley be saved if you bring the temp up to the proper levels, it will just take longer for them to develop 21+ days and you run a higher risk of still born or birth defects..

That is a hard decision to make. Thank you for answering.

 

[BantyChooks]

7 chicks out and 1 pip! :yiipchick

 

[rottlady]

Back in the 80's I raised Button Quail with just a Hova Bator still air incubator with really good success. Have they changed at all or are they the same? It worked for me back then and the price is still right....

 

[MadamPoofyBrow]

I have a genises hovabator 1580. So far, I really like it. It's a lot better than the little giants I've had in the past. I'm sure I would be happier with something other than styrofoam, but I'm satisfied. Have a hatch happening right now, so far one egg's pipped (EHAL)

 

[beetandsteet]

It is in fact a thermistor based thermostat control circuit but a very poorly and very cheaply designed one...

There are something thing you can do to sorta help it out but you can't turn a Pinto into a Ferrari, without exceeding the cost of replacing the Pinto with the Ferrari...

One thing that can help that is a cheap and free patch, is to unscrew the thermostat module and remove it, then take a bigger drill or knife and enlarge the hole that the variable resistor (aka adjustment knob) goes through so it no longer rubs, then reassemble... As designed (might vary by year) the foam rubs up against the resistor shaft so every time you handle the lid there is the possibility that the foam rubbing up against the shaft ever so slightly turns the shaft just that little bit, and due to the design this small turn of the shaft can have a big impact on temp stability... The same can happen due to changes in humidity and temp in the room that will cause the foam to expand and contract just that little bit and turn the knob... It might sound far fetched that this would happen but it can and does happen...

FYI I'm a freelance electronics engineer by trade

Wow this is awesome. Definitely makes sense. You're the bomb.com!

 

[beetandsteet]

Back in the 80's I raised Button Quail with just a Hova Bator still air incubator with really good success. Have they changed at all or are they the same? It worked for me back then and the price is still right....

I think they still use the "wafer thermostat" method on the cheaper HovaBator models. Generally the hovabators have gotten good reviews, they're higher quality than say, Little Giant or Farm Innovators.

 

[BantyChooks]

7 chicks,1 pip now!