1960's HOVA-BATOR

[xcalibor67]

Well, to start i will be trying my 1st ever Quail eggs soon. Looking for any tips, recommendations on using a still air Incubator. The reasons for wanting to use a still air bator comes from the fact, the other day me and my dad were talking about the subject, and he directly informs me that he still had the "Holy Grail" (at least in my eyes) of still air bators stored from when i was a child...dont ask how many yrs ago... Remember watching him hatch turkeys as a kid, and really want to try a batch of Quail in this bator, for nostalgia if nothing else. Naturally when he said he still had it, my 1st response was, NO WAY.. I asked him "HOW" on this earth did he manage to keep something made from styro? AND, it has all original instruction papers. for all these yrs...I cant even keep a steel tool for more than a couples yrs. Notice the price list, lol. Have read up on still air bators, but if you have any tips, tricks etc, please let me know..PS. have read that Quail should use about the same settings as chickens eggs?

 

[Thangbom]

Run it for a day or two with no eggs. Make sure it can get up to temp and keep the temp stable. Find hot and cool spots within the incubator and adjust your egg placement to keep as stable of a temp as possible. Use a second thermometer inside to adjust the temp. Also get a hygrometer and place it inside. Figure out how much water surface area is needed to keep your target humidity up. Other than that, it's trial and error.

That is way way way cool that you have something form way back with your dad. Reliving the past is cool! What an awesome surprise! I hope your pops share in the expedition.

ThangBom

 

[xcalibor67]

Been playing around with bator. It seems indicator light and heating element/waffle stat is in good working order. But having some wide variances in temps. Checking with my long stem digi candy thermometer, keeping tip about 1" off wire rack, it goes from like 98.9 to 101.8. All the holes seem open. Will be moving to another location, as i did think about a AC register that is kinda close to where bator is..