THE Brinsea Octagon 20 Eco Thread; Hatches, etc. (PICS)

[immyjay54]

I am so excited because my Brinsea Octagon 20 ADVANCE EX digital egg incubator package is scheduled to be delivered today. I am looking forward to setting it up and checking it out. I am following some good advice I found on here that I should run a batch of local eggs through it first before I pay for the pure breed eggs I want to add to my flock. I am thinking about putting in a dozen or so. Any comments or advice about this idea? Also I keep seeing a complaint about there not being sufficient space for hatching in this incubator, I do not have another one to hatch them out, so I take it the best way to deal with this is to not fill it to capacity with eggs. I don't think I would want to do 24 at a time anway...probably 12-18 at most.

I've not done it but read back a few posts where they took the bator into the bathroom and ran hot water in their shower and removed chicks as they hatch and it didn't bother the rest that weren't hatched.
I just prefer a little more room for my newly hatched babies. Just my own thing I guess. I hate to see anything crammed up or not able to move around freely.
Also, you are smart to try with cheaper eggs just in case you need to do a hatch or so to get the hang of things. "Nothing beats a trial but a failure"
Jim

 

[Squawkbox]

Thanks guys!
I went out and got a small hygrometer today (man did I ever had to goose chase around for the stupid thing, none at 2 different walmarts or pet stores?!!?). What do you all keep your humidity at for the first 18 and at lockdown?
Sorry for all the questions

. I just really want to get this right as my last 2 hatches in my homemade styrofoam bator were absolutely horrendous in hatch rate and had major issues with shrinkwrapping.

 

[immyjay54]

Thanks guys!
I went out and got a small hygrometer today (man did I ever had to goose chase around for the stupid thing, none at 2 different walmarts or pet stores?!!?). What do you all keep your humidity at for the first 18 and at lockdown?
Sorry for all the questions

. I just really want to get this right as my last 2 hatches in my homemade styrofoam bator were absolutely horrendous in hatch rate and had major issues with shrinkwrapping.

I try to keep my humidity between 40 - 50 and then I bump it up in the 70's for hatch. I keep my temp 99 - 100 throughout.
Some are doing the dry hatch but it never worked well for me. lol
Jim

 

[babymakes6]

I try to keep my humidity between 40 - 50 and then I bump it up in the 70's for hatch. I keep my temp 99 - 100 throughout.
Some are doing the dry hatch but it never worked well for me. lol
Jim

Same here! I tried many hatches using the dry hatch version, but never had very good hatches. I started keeping my humidity in the 40-50% range ( I aim for 45%), and raise it to 65-70% during hatch. If I leave my incubator CLOSED, I have been having the best hatches I've ever had!

 

[Squawkbox]

Okay that's good, that's what I was thinking of trying. I tried dry hatching with my hatches, and that along with an ill fitting lid on a styrofoam bator just set me up for failure. With both hatches I ended up helping every chick out of the shell as they were so shrinkwrapped and many ended up dying. And between the 2 hatches I ended up with 10 live chicks out of I think it was 56.

So how many eggs do you guys generally put in there? And do you put the pointy end down or more at an angle resting on the other eggs?
I was kind of thinking (not sure if it would even work or not) of not using the dividers and just laying them all on their sides. I wouldn't be able to fit as many eggs, but I think it would provide a bit of extra room. Good idea or not?

 

[babymakes6]

I have 15 eggs from my LF Orpingtons in there now. I have the rails out and they are lying on their sides. They are due tomorrow. So far, from what I can see, at LEAST 11 have pipped. I don't like to fill mine too full either, because I end up having some die from opening the bator to remove the dry chicks.

 

[Squawkbox]

I think that is what I am going to do. I have it running to test it out, the temp was a tad high, so I adjusted it and that is fine. But, I put my hygrometer in there (calibrated) with one channel fully filled and it is only reading 36% humidity and has been sitting for over an hour..? Why so low?

And Babymakes6, Good luck with your hatch!

 

[chick4chix]

THANK YOU EVERYONE for this thread and all the wonderful information on here!!!

I am on day 18 of my very first hatch...ever... and went looking for info on lockdown- humidity- position- etc.
I'm SOOOO glad I found this thread since I have the Oco20 manual incubator(no turner). I set a dozen Trader Joe's Fertile Eggs 18 days ago and9 survived past day 8. All are right on schedule.

I kept one water-trough 3/4 full throughout incubation- filling it to the 3/4 mark quickly with pre-heated purified water at night when I did my final turn.
I am about to get the dividers out, and set the eggs on their sides, and fill both troughs- I believe I will use the sponge method, as I've seen on here in several places- I am in Arid San Diego and since the 9 eggs used up 1/4 water every day throughout incubation, I think I will need the sponges and I may also drape a piece of felt on the bottom.

SOOOOOO eggcited!! I'll keep you posted and post photos of the hatch! I'm on the Trader Joes hatch club thread on here too I hope they all hatch !

 

[babymakes6]

I think that is what I am going to do. I have it running to test it out, the temp was a tad high, so I adjusted it and that is fine. But, I put my hygrometer in there (calibrated) with one channel fully filled and it is only reading 36% humidity and has been sitting for over an hour..? Why so low?

And Babymakes6, Good luck with your hatch!

I have 11 healthy chicks this morning! Two eggs are still in-but only one is pipped. The other two chicks were deformed.

Both had their intestines on the outside of their bodies. One died after pipping, the other I took care of. I have never had that happen before. So, out of 15 eggs, 14 pipped and 11 hatched. I am very pleased! That is the best I have ever done!

Where are you located? Also, is your vent on top open or closed? Remember, SURFACE AREA is what raises the humidity, not depth of water.

 

[WyoChickenMamma]

I am getting ready to set some eggs in my new incubator. We set it up last night and it has been running steady at 99.4 with 45%RH. I am just curious about a few things.

My neighbor who just had a not so successful hatch in her LG bator gave me 23 eggs to put in for her as a first hatch. These are all from her barnyard mix. I candled them last night and several had cracks or were way to porous, one was very oddly shopped and had some ridges in it. Those didn't make it to the tray. I ended up with 18 eggs that are in the tray. I have three rows of six eggs. There is a small space at the end of each row. I noticed on some of the pictures on this thread that it looks like people put some paper towel or tissues in that space. Do I need to do this? I kind of tilted the tray back and forth to mimic the movement and the eggs didn't fall over to that empty side? Does doing this mess with humidity as the tissue/paper towel absorbs the humidity and becomes wet? I have the automatic humidity pump with my incubator. Any other advice or input?

TIA!!!