88% hatch rate with homemade bator AND first hatch!

[JoAnn_WI_4-H_Mom]

I'll let you know how it goes. We have the parts and are discussing our options at the moment. Our home temps do vary a bit, so we are looking for the most consistent spot and for internal temp modulating ideas - like maybe a ziploc bag of water.

We got the thermometer you have in the picture, did it work well for you?

 

[ArizonaDesertChicks]

Mine just finished hatching this weekend (also my first hatch with an incubator and also used a homemade bator). We started with 20 fertile eggs - tossed two by day 10 due to blood rings. We now have 16 chicks from the 18 eggs that went into lockdown

Make sure to check your hygrometer and thermometer to see how accurate they are. My brand new hygrometer was 10% low.

 

[bahamas]

awesome sorry bout the chick. But i applaud the creativity on the bator . i never would have thought to make a botor out of one of those. I'm off to kely's to buy 1.

 

[kid-n-chickens]

Quote:
I have two of these thermometer/hygrometer the humidity was off by 8 and 10% after checking with the salt water test. Which would be a good science experiment on its own
http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer.htm

 

[momiphouph]

This would be a GREAT school project. I kept thinking while building it how much fun this would have been as a science project for someone's child.

My 14 yo son just finished his bator, he is still working out the temp, but I have to agree its been a great school project for him. I was planning on posting pics and questions he has as soon as I can get the pics loaded.​

 

[SpeckledPullet]

Quote:
It worked great for me. I did the dry incubation method and it seemed to work without an issue.

I originally tried a cigar type hygrometer and it was way off. I had a hard time getting it adjusted, so I went and bought this Acurite from Wal-mart and it was much easier to use and more accurate. The temp was also dead on target when checked/compared with 2 other thermometers and only 1 degree off when compared with a 3rd.

 

[SpeckledPullet]

Quote:
My 14 yo son just finished his bator, he is still working out the temp, but I have to agree its been a great school project for him. I was planning on posting pics and questions he has as soon as I can get the pics loaded.

I would be very interested in seeing the pics. Please post when you can. I'd love to know what modifications you all ended up doing, too.

 

[momiphouph]

I would be very interested in seeing the pics. Please post when you can. I'd love to know what modifications you all ended up doing, too.

Here it is... I wish we would have thought to use a Rubbermaid but we had a lot of plywood lying around so they used it. It looks good though, Im very proud of him!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=303376​