Anyone Use a Brower Incubator?

[dbcooper02]

Directly below the element works ok for me. Like under a hen, warm on top less warm below. The heat element ends as it enters the box, thus there is less heat below that point.
Rotating the lid is intuitive and I do it when I have a 'bator full. I usually go 1/4 turn each time I turn the eggs .

 

[judyc]

Well, I've got the temps zeroed in, but can't get the humidity up enough to even register on my digital hygrometer. This with a pie pan of water and a wet sponge on the wire. Granted, I had to fill the entire bottom of my Roll-x with water to get the humidity over 74%. I hate to move the Brower to the basement; not sure that would even help.

 

[CALI CHICK]

Well, I've got the temps zeroed in, but can't get the humidity up enough to even register on my digital hygrometer. This with a pie pan of water and a wet sponge on the wire. Granted, I had to fill the entire bottom of my Roll-x with water to get the humidity over 74%. I hate to move the Brower to the basement; not sure that would even help.

Hmmm - hopefully dbcooper will chime in again. He had some good suggestions based on actual experience using these Browers.
What humidity level are you trying to reach? I'm wondering if the fiber board absorbs some of the humidity, so at first you might have to keep adding water?

I'm doing a "dry incubation" more or less. Before adding eggs I put a little water in the pan - just enough to get the sponge wet (which is in the pan). My humidity was about 16 to 20% at first. The eggs raised humidity a little. I've only been adding tsp's of water to the sponges if my humidity drops to about 20%. It has been averaging 27% (low:24/hi:31) for the last week. When I open the bator, it actually goes up to 30 and then back down.
Edited to add - I'm planning on moving my eggs to a Hova Bator (with windows) for lockdown and hatching.

I might have the same humidity problems for lockdown.

 

[judyc]

I've got Pekin eggs in the Roll-X that I wanted to transfer as soon as I got the temp and humidity right. This is my third time hatching duck eggs, but my first with the Brower. Supposedly, the humidity needs to be 86%. My Roll-X is running 74%.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I've got Pekin eggs in the Roll-X that I wanted to transfer as soon as I got the temp and humidity right. This is my third time hatching duck eggs, but my first with the Brower. Supposedly, the humidity needs to be 86%. My Roll-X is running 74%.

Wow, 86% is almost raining! Maybe you could lay damp paper towels directly on the screen. And then, if you didn't want to open the lid , you could use a dropper or funnel to drizzle more water onto the paper towels. Some people also place a babyfood jar (of water) in the bator with a paper towel hanging out the side (like a wick). It's worth a try during your regulating stage.

 

[dbcooper02]

Judy. Seems like with all that water in there it should be pretty humid. I'd have to wonder if the hygrometer is working properly. I know there are threads on here telling how to check the accuracy using a baggy and cup of damp salt. I don't remember the specifics but a quick search should turn it up.
86% sounds way too high to me. The brower instructions call for 65% for duck eggs till lockdown and 75% for the hatch.
I'm of the dry incubation school at this point with my sportsmans, running at less than 20% all the way through including the hatch. I'm not recommending it, its just what is working for me at the present time.
db

 

[judyc]

Darn! I'm about to give up on digital. I'm using a GQH that I purchased at the Crossroads
Show in Oct. guess I'll have to go by air cells. I picked the humidity off the Internet. Sister
hatched a bunch of Pekins last summer and that is what she used. If I could get even 65% , I would be happier. Use the thermometer in the Brower and it
flatlines on the humidity; switch it to the Roll-X and I get 74% reading.

 

[missy5]

dbcooper02....I have tried three times to pm you and it won't work. I was so happy to find someone with the manual for the 846 brower. I just picked one up for $20. If you could email the manual that would be great. [email protected] I am not a computor person and now everything is changed on this site, it took a long time just to login. I keep getting error on page everywhere i go. Hope this goes through. Thanks.

 

[judyc]

Well, I'm going to give in and move the Brower (and maybe the Roll-X) to the basement. The ambient temperature in my study is 62 degrees.
(what I get for marrying a hot-blooded man)

I think that is the problem.

 

[quintinp]

I just bought a 100 egg galvanized incubator today. I will get pictures up in a second.