Homemade incubator, first hatch....advice?

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jbolt

jbolt

Chirping
6 Years
Jan 24, 2013
219
6
83
Wittmann az
Hi, I caught the chicken bug, and I built an incubator. Parts list:
Styrofoam cooler 3.50
Acurite thermometer/ hygrometer 8.00
Scrap chicken wire
Dimmer switch 8.00
Lower water heater thermostat
2 glass jars filled with water
1 salvaged Xbox cooling fan wired to 12v adapter
1 bottle lamp kit

I will post step by step if someone would like but I got my instructions. Online. My why regulates with no more than .5° temp swing. I am nervous as I am afraid of unabsorbed yolks or them being alive in the shell and the can't get out. My humidity is at a steady 50%. Here are pics, any advise is appreciated :)

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sumi said:
Here are 2 fantastic articles on incubation and hatching that you can read and refer to:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Assisted hatch, if needed:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/step-by-step-guide-to-assisted-hatching

Best of luck with your hatch and keep us posted!
Click to expand...
x2 Do you have ventilation holes in your bator? its very important.... refer to the hatching 101 link sumi gave you and also here https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/incubator-incubator
 
Yes, 5 behind fan to pull air in and 5 above eggs about 4 inches to allow heated air out. Holes are a little bigger than pencil sized. Also lid is not airtight. What is a " porous egg " in regards to choosing the best eggs to set?
 
when you candle it will show alot of spottyness in the shell, I have set them if they are not too bad and hatched them fine though!
 
Huh, all the eggs I set seem to be a bit spotty, the ones from the 2 year old hens being more spotty than the ones from the ones in their first laying cycle. Is there a nutritional deficiency that I may be missing? All air sacs are positioned right, and eggs are not overly thin, thick, or chalky. My hens are fed lay pellets, scratch, and and have access to alfalfa hay at will. They eat more hay and lay pellets than anything. I have not been giving oyster shell as the lay pellets are Sposed to be "complete feed" with plenty of calcium. I also raise mealworms for them and they get 4 oz of mealworms twice a week. I spread the mealworms all over the outdoor area to give them as much of a "free range" diet as I can, but they cannot be left unfenced as the predators in my area are prolific and ruthless. 2 days ago my Leghorn rooster Henry miles a hawk inside the outdoor pen. It is not covered on top, but will be by the end of the weekend.

Pics of "Hero Henry, and his hens :)
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Last edited:
Chick embryos are quite tough and can survive lower temperatures for a few hours. I've heard of incubators getting unplugged and undiscovered for 24 hours with no harm done to the chicks. The cooling down period may delay their development a bit though. So don't worry if they hatch a bit later than expected.
 
Thanks:) 2 are at day 5 and I can see movement and a heartbeat in both. The rest are at day 3 and are too dark for me to tell yet, but air sacs are good and yolks are veiny and floating. Keeping my fingers crossed.
 
OK, 6 of 10 eggs are developing well. 2 are at day 18, 2 at 16,and 2 at 15. All air cells are good, 18 and 16 eggs are in lockdown as of this am, and I'm giving the youngest eggs 2 more days in different bator before lockdown. Humidity has been at 35 to 45 % and was raised to 70 to 75 % today. Anything else I can do? I know now I shouldn't have staggered the hatch but its too late now........
 

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