1588 Genesis Hovabator

[I Love Layers]

Looking for opinions on this bator.


http://www.strombergschickens.com/p...vabator-Incubator-1588/GQF-Poultry-Incubators


It is cheap and can hold more then 20 which is more then my Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance, I would be getting the turner with it as I am in school 9 hours a day

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Looking for opinions on this bator.


http://www.strombergschickens.com/p...vabator-Incubator-1588/GQF-Poultry-Incubators


It is cheap and can hold more then 20 which is more then my Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance, I would be getting the turner with it as I am in school 9 hours a day

The 1588 has excellent reviews. I have the 1583, which is the non digital version of the 1588 and I love it. The temps are real steady for a styro, and that's without the thermostat. The only thing with the 1588, is I've talked to a couple people and read a couple reviews that stated if you run the humidity higher than the recommended max of 65% it can cause problems with the components and throw the thermometer off, which will have to be reset.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Looking for opinions on this bator.


http://www.strombergschickens.com/p...vabator-Incubator-1588/GQF-Poultry-Incubators


It is cheap and can hold more then 20 which is more then my Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance, I would be getting the turner with it as I am in school 9 hours a day

I have both a Hova-Bator 1588 and a Brinsea Advance 20, and have been pleased with both so far...but the greater capacity of the Genesis is nice, especially if you use it for hatching.

Specific to the Genesis, I just ordered a second one today so I can fill it up with duck eggs. It's going to be a busy spring!

 

[oregonkat]

Looking for opinions on this bator.


http://www.strombergschickens.com/p...vabator-Incubator-1588/GQF-Poultry-Incubators


It is cheap and can hold more then 20 which is more then my Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance, I would be getting the turner with it as I am in school 9 hours a day

I just used this incubator with the incuturn turner and I have my reservations. Of 12 eggs that made it past day 10, I lost 3 to either quitting or one dead in shell, fully formed. No idea why. The thing that concerned me most was that 7 of the 9 hatched were malpositioned with their heads tucked under the right wing. I had to assist all of them and thankfully all are healthy.. So, here are the details of the hatch. Incubator temp. reading 99.5 for the entire hatch, independent therm. measuring 100.6, I thought no big deal. Humidity for first 18 days between 48 and 55% in the bator, independent hygrometer (calibrated) reading approx. 4 points higher, I thought no big deal here either. The thing that I think happened was that the turner did not effectively turn the eggs although I marked them and they seemed to be at least moving, so I figured that was good enough. I have no idea if my assumptions are correct and I intend to adjust the temp down on the bator on the next hatch and go by my independent therm/hygrometer. I like this incubator, it is easy to clean and easy to read, I would say just make sure that you have another thermometer and hygrometer to go along with it and watch the turner.

 

[oregonkat]

I forgot to add that the air sacs looked great throughout the hatch.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

@oregonkat, I heartily agree that it's critically important - with any incubator - to use a separate thermometer (and hygrometer). I had a great duck egg hatch in a 1588 a few weeks ago, but did discover the incubator was actually running about a degree and a half higher than the display was reading. I also dry hatched and hand turned. Only 1 (of 36) failed to hatch.

Your plan to just adjust the set temperature down for the next hatch makes sense; I do the same, now that I know there's a discrepancy. Interestingly, both of my 1588s seem to be off about 1.5 degrees.

Good luck with your next hatch!

 

[oregonkat]

@oregonkat , I heartily agree that it's critically important - with any incubator - to use a separate thermometer (and hygrometer). I had a great duck egg hatch in a 1588 a few weeks ago, but did discover the incubator was actually running about a degree and a half higher than the display was reading. I also dry hatched and hand turned. Only 1 (of 36) failed to hatch.

Your plan to just adjust the set temperature down for the next hatch makes sense; I do the same, now that I know there's a discrepancy. Interestingly, both of my 1588s seem to be off about 1.5 degrees.

Good luck with your next hatch!

OK, so a couple of questions. With hand turning, wasn't opening and closing the 1588 a huge pain in the butt as there is not 'handle' so to speak. I have considered jerry-rigging a handle with gorilla tape so something just to make opening this thing easier. Also, with the question of dry hatching, I tried with a previous hatch (granted I only finished it in the 1588 for shut down. I was using a very old and unreliable Little Giant) and it was disastrous. I added no water to the original bator and then goosed it in the 1588 to 65%. Only 3 out of 8 hatched. Did you add no water for your dry hatch in the beginning at all? Thanks. Oh, I am at 2800 feet in S. Oregon and our home humidity stays at around 45% in the winter if that matters.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I just used this incubator with the incuturn turner and I have my reservations.  Of 12 eggs that made it past day 10, I lost 3 to either quitting or one dead in shell, fully formed.  No idea why.  The thing that concerned me most was that 7 of the 9 hatched were malpositioned with their heads tucked under the right wing.  I had to assist all of them and thankfully all are healthy..  So, here are the details of the hatch.  Incubator temp. reading 99.5 for the entire hatch, independent therm. measuring 100.6, I thought no big deal.  Humidity for first 18 days between 48 and 55% in the bator, independent hygrometer (calibrated) reading approx. 4 points higher, I thought no big deal here either.  The thing that I think happened was that the turner did not effectively turn the eggs although I marked them and they seemed to be at least moving, so I figured that was good enough.  I have no idea if my assumptions are correct and I intend to adjust the temp down on the bator on the next hatch and go by my independent therm/hygrometer.  I like this incubator, it is easy to clean and easy to read, I would say just make sure that you have another thermometer and hygrometer to go along with it and watch the turner. 

Never go by a thermometer/hygrometer that has not been checked, especially incubator displays. They can be thrown off during shipment. Always, no matter what -have your own in the bator. 100.6 is fine. I intentionally run mine at 100 vs 99.5. 48-55%, if you are not in a high elevation is generally problematic especially in styro bators. I would never run higher than 45% for an average incubation period. Actually I run 30-35%. I would highly recommend dropping the humidity. Now, the malpositioned...how were they malpositioned? Normal hatch position is head under right wing. How long did you give them before assisting? A chick can take 24 hours before progressing through to the next stage of hatching. An assist should not be done before 18-24 hours after a pip unless there are signs of distress. I don't understand why you have reservations about the bator. Other than the display being off, I'm assuming it held a steady temp? You said yourself that you marked the eggs and they were moving which shows the turner was working.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

OK, so a couple of questions.  With hand turning, wasn't opening and closing the 1588 a huge pain in the butt as there is not 'handle' so to speak.  I have considered jerry-rigging a handle with gorilla tape so something just to make opening this thing easier.  Also, with the question of dry hatching, I tried with a previous hatch (granted I only finished it in the 1588 for shut down. I was using a very old and unreliable Little Giant) and it was disastrous.  I added no water to the original bator and then goosed it in the 1588 to 65%.  Only 3 out of 8 hatched. Did you add no water for your dry hatch in the beginning at all? Thanks.  Oh, I am at 2800 feet in S. Oregon and our home humidity stays at around 45% in the winter if that matters.

I take the top off and set it on the table while I turn my eggs. I'm not opening and closing. Whether to add water or not should depend on your humidity level. If I can maintain 30% give or take 5% dry, I run dry. If not, I add a wet sponge. With you being in a slightly elevated place. I'd actually try. 2800 ft isn't bad, but it does carry a slight difference. Also, are you keeping the vents open for the hatch? Air exchange at higher altitudes is also a problem, so having open vents should be more beneficial as well. And are the eggs you are hatching coming from your own hens/laid at the setting altitude or from shipped sources?

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

OK, so a couple of questions. With hand turning, wasn't opening and closing the 1588 a huge pain in the butt as there is not 'handle' so to speak. I have considered jerry-rigging a handle with gorilla tape so something just to make opening this thing easier. Also, with the question of dry hatching, I tried with a previous hatch (granted I only finished it in the 1588 for shut down. I was using a very old and unreliable Little Giant) and it was disastrous. I added no water to the original bator and then goosed it in the 1588 to 65%. Only 3 out of 8 hatched. Did you add no water for your dry hatch in the beginning at all? Thanks. Oh, I am at 2800 feet in S. Oregon and our home humidity stays at around 45% in the winter if that matters.

Honestly, yes - it's a pain dealing with the huge, awkward styrofoam incubator top (where to put it, can't set it face-down or the buttons could accidentally be pushed and alter the settings...also easy to accidentally bump the incubator while monkeying around with the top), but I just dug my fingernails (short though they may be) into the styrofoam "handles". That part of the unit could definitely use some improvement! Let me know how your DIY handle project works out.

I have a long table that I use for incubation and there would normally be more than enough room to just set the top next to the unit, but I had two other incubators going at the same time. lol I just set a folding chair next to the table and carefully set the incubator top on the chair while turned the eggs. Worked just fine.

Yes, I start with the incubator dry and see what it reads; if it's between 30-40, I don't add any water until lockdown. The humidity in your home may definitely affect the humidity in the incubator, but it may actually work in your favor. Personally, I think duck eggs and dark-shelled eggs like BCM benefit from dry hatching; lighter-shelled eggs seem to do ok with slightly higher humidity, but they may just be a bit more forgiving.