Use of Non-slip Drawer Liner in Incubator Helping to Stabilize H & T

[JillsChicks]

I'm curious to know what any of you experienced folks think of my placing non-slip drawer liner on the hardware cloth of my Hova Bator incubator. We are on day 11. I did it because I had seen a photo somewhere of a chick sitting on some and had read the advice that cheesecloth should be placed on the hardware cloth prior to day 18 to prevent the chicks from "sticking" to the hardware cloth. One person has suggested I remove it because it could impede air circulation in the incubator, but here's the deal - since I placed it in there 24 hours ago, my hygrometer has stayed more steady and my temp in my water wiggler has stayed a constant 99.5! What do you think? I do see on some eggs as I turn them that there is a residue left behind by the liner - it doesn't seem to be extra moisture at all... should I be concerned?

It feels so good not to see many fluctuations - advice? experience with this?

JillsChicks

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I agree that the stabile readings are a plus, but the residue left on the eggs worries me. Eggs are porous and could absorb something from that residue that could be harmful to your chicks.

Why did you want to use anything over the wire mesh?

 

[JillsChicks]

Thanks, Accidental, for your reply.

I just checked and flipped the eggs. My humidity was 52% and my water wiggler thermometer read 99.5. I decided to take the drawer liner out.

I saw according to my "Chick Chart" that my temp had never gotten above 100.4 and never lower than 98.6 with just the hardware cloth alone. That's pretty consistent considering that's not even a degree difference. My ambient temp on the hygrometer was as high as 101.something though.

One advantage I could see as I put the eggs back in on the cloth was that they rolled around more than on the drawer liner. I think the cloth is bent here and there. On the liner I could line them up in neat little rows all going in the same direction - very type A behavior - are hens type A's?! Now they look like they are at a chickenstock party in all directions.

Have a great day!

 

[AccidentalFarm]

I understand completely- I loved seeing the eggs all lined up in the turner-neat as you please. But then, moving over to the hatcher and laying on the wire mesh, rolling this way and that each time the bator was bumped...argh! I hate to say it, but it really bothered me.
However, when the chicks start moving in the shell, the wire mesh floor allows the eggs to move freely and you'll be able to see even the slightest movements.

Something I had thought to do, but never got around to it was to use drinking straws to line each row of eggs. I thought I could bend each tip over and feed it a little ways through the mesh to hold it in place. The mesh may be to fine for that, if so, coffee stirrers may do the trick.

I seem to recall seeing a photo of someone's that had drawer liners in the bator, too. If I recall correctly (big IF), it may have been speckledhen's photo. If that is the case, she has much more bator experience than I and I defer to her on this question.

Good Luck with your hatch!

 

[JillsChicks]

Well, after emailing Accidentalfarm a bit, I decided this morning to take the drawer liner out of my incubator - didn't want any "residue" getting on the eggs. I checked my readings several times today, however, and was unhappy with them. As a matter of fact, by the time I got home from an outing around 6 p.m., my water wiggler temp was down to 97.8! That's the lowest it's ever been; I noted that the humidity was something like 58%.

So, I've compromised! I placed the drawer liner in the bottom of the incubator, placed the hardware cloth on top of that, and then reset my eggs, hygrometer and water wiggler on the hardware cloth. Now two hours later, my reading was a delightful 99.1 with 58% on the hygrometer!!!

We'll see if my great experiment works.

Thanks for everyone's input and advice - Ann

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Hey that's great news! I'm glad you found a way to work the drawer liner in. I have to say i'm surprised that it has an effect on the temps.

You mentioned you emailed me...I didn't see anything, or did you mean the replies here on the forum? If I missed an email, I apologize.

Good Luck on the hatch!

 

[JillsChicks]

AccidentalFarm -

This morning my readings were great! You are right; I subscribed to the thread, so I was reading them on my email, but you posted to the forum. And thank you so much for doing so. Ann

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Ha! Well, you're very welcome! I'm going to try the drawer liner in my bator, too! I have a hatch due in about a week.

 

[JillsChicks]

Accidental Farm - I noticed that since putting the drawer liner under the hardware cloth my temps have stayed very constant - nearly perfect. The humidity was good too, but gradually went down even though I had filled the trenches. So I turned back a corner of the drawer liner under the hardware cloth to let the water be more exposed. Viola! My humidity went up and stayed more constant! A little tweeking here and there! Ann