tips for farm innovators model 4200

[AmyLynn2374]

Well, Amy, my friend from the days of Gilligan - remember that sweet little duckling? - I just bought one of these Farm Innovators 4200's (automatic turner and fan) and I'm a tad apprehensive. I may be bending your ear from time to time.....I tried the Hatching Friends thread but this geriatric brain couldn't keep up and so many answers seem to end up buried. <sigh> I have a Brinsea Eco 20 but MyPetChickens decided they really like me and the 9 eggs I ordered plus the 12 that @LocalYokel won and gifted to me somehow became 15 in one box and 13 in the other - too many eggs, not enough incubator!

Hope I can figure this thing out....right now the eggs are just sitting, waiting for air cells to settle and do their thing while Ken tries to get the temp and humidity up in the Farm Innovators.

Anyway, wish me luck!!

I do remember him! Do you still have him? He did make it, right? I hope so, I don't remember what happened, but I remember him. My mind is shot. I'd love to help in anyway I can. I also have a help thread you can find me on and lots of others who love helping. It's: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help we get decent usage but it's now so bad it's hard to keep up.

 

[LocalYokel]

Well, Amy, my friend from the days of Gilligan - remember that sweet little duckling? - I just bought one of these Farm Innovators 4200's (automatic turner and fan) and I'm a tad apprehensive. I may be bending your ear from time to time.....I tried the Hatching Friends thread but this geriatric brain couldn't keep up and so many answers seem to end up buried. I have a Brinsea Eco 20 but MyPetChickens decided they really like me and the 9 eggs I ordered plus the 12 that @LocalYokel won and gifted to me somehow became 15 in one box and 13 in the other - too many eggs, not enough incubator! Hope I can figure this thing out....right now the eggs are just sitting, waiting for air cells to settle and do their thing while Ken tries to get the temp and humidity up in the Farm Innovators. Anyway, wish me luck!!

 

[LocalYokel]

Holy cow ya got a plethora of eggs there

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I have sadly only heard bad things of that professional incubator they're selling with the turner at TSC
I think it's the farm innovator one , only mentions I've heard of it are fluctuations in temp.
Maybe some have had no problems but I wish the best to those of you that have them.

I would return it if I had bought it

Just me and my two cents

I've heard both decent and not so decent. It's not as bad as the LG 9300 that TSC sells.

At least from the things I see....

 

[newwestchick]

I'm on my first batch with one, and the temps have held steady through the last 17 days. Lockdown tomorrow, I've been running it dry (in a humid climate) with good air cell development so far with 23 eggs developing on schedule. Going to add some water tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed until I see hatching!

Advice so far - put some electrical tape or something over the built in gauge as it is totally off (4 degrees low reading in my unit) and rely on your secondary thermometers. Run it dry until you need to add water, I had a drop of moisture fail to evaporate for over 4 days in there! Run it for 3-4 days after setting up new thermometers and before setting eggs, extremely small adjustments to the knob make huge temp fluctuations, so keep an eye on it until it's totally steady for a few days with both plugs out at 95.5.

I'll be posting my resultant hatch at Amy's hands on hatching thread if you want more updates

Best wishes!

 

[Blooie]

I have sadly only heard bad things of that professional incubator they're selling with the turner at TSC
I think it's the farm innovator one , only mentions I've heard of it are fluctuations in temp.
Maybe some have had no problems but I wish the best to those of you that have them.

I would return it if I had bought it

Just me and my two cents

Nooooooo You weren't supposed to say that!!! I have an egg here with your name on it-----was gonna name it after you and everything!!!

I do remember him! Do you still have him? He did make it, right? I hope so, I don't remember what happened, but I remember him. My mind is shot. I'd love to help in anyway I can. I also have a help thread you can find me on and lots of others who love helping. It's: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1081034/hands-on-hatching-and-help we get decent usage but it's now so bad it's hard to keep up.

I didn't have him...someone else had hatched him out against overwhelming odds and I just had the honor of naming him. I think she finally lost him. I've been haunting hatching sites like mad...I'm sure yours will be one of them.

By golly, I will MAKE this hatch work if I have to incubate them in a Mama Heating Pad cave!! With so many great eggs and duplicates, maybe I'll put some in one and some in the other just to cover my bases.....

 

[newwestchick]

Gorgeous eggs Blooie!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Nooooooo You weren't supposed to say that!!! I have an egg here with your name on it-----was gonna name it after you and everything!!!


I didn't have him...someone else had hatched him out against overwhelming odds and I just had the honor of naming him. I think she finally lost him. I've been haunting hatching sites like mad...I'm sure yours will be one of them.

By golly, I will MAKE this hatch work if I have to incubate them in a Mama Heating Pad cave!! With so many great eggs and duplicates, maybe I'll put some in one and some in the other just to cover my bases.....

That's right. It's coming back to me. I remember them sharing pics, I thought he made it though.

 

[Blooie]

I'm on my first batch with one, and the temps have held steady through the last 17 days. Lockdown tomorrow, I've been running it dry (in a humid climate) with good air cell development so far with 23 eggs developing on schedule. Going to add some water tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed until I see hatching!

Advice so far - put some electrical tape or something over the built in gauge as it is totally off (4 degrees low reading in my unit) and rely on your secondary thermometers. Run it dry until you need to add water, I had a drop of moisture fail to evaporate for over 4 days in there! Run it for 3-4 days after setting up new thermometers and before setting eggs, extremely small adjustments to the knob make huge temp fluctuations, so keep an eye on it until it's totally steady for a few days with both plugs out at 95.5.

I'll be posting my resultant hatch at Amy's hands on hatching thread if you want more updates

Best wishes!

Ahhh, an encouraging word!! I'll take it, and thanks!

 

[Blooie]

That's right. It's coming back to me. I remember them sharing pics, I thought he made it though.

He did, but I think she lost him to something else later on.....got an old brain here but that's what I'm thinking...