Brinsea Mini Advance Incubator

[Maah]

My therm/hygr read the same as yours (since they're the same! LOL)... It was reading the temp just a little below the Brinsea. My first hatch I had 100% hatch rate, trusting the Brinsea directions, for their temp & humidity. However a couple of the chicks had weak legs and I had read somewhere that it can be anything from genetics, to nutrition, to cooler incubating temperatures. My humidity ran about 55% during the first incubation, and then with both reserviors filled it was at 70%+ for lockdown (increased to over 80%+ during hatching).

For my second incubation, I upped the Brinsea to 99.8 and that seemed to balance with my separate therm/hygr that I had in there. I also reduced my humidity so it ran about 30% during incubation and 60% for lockdown, to match what all the people here kept saying, so I wanted to follow all the advice. Well, I only had 3 of 5 eggs hatch this last time. The other two seemed to be sticky inside and a bit shrink wrapped. Was that from too low of humidity? Not sure, but it was the only thing I did lots different.

Like I said though, 100% hatch rate on the first time, so I think I should have listened to it.

I will be setting eggs again this weekend, and I plan on keeping my Brinsea temp at 99.8, and trusting Brinsea for the humidity. I will fill 1 reservior and let the humidity be at the 55% during incubation & 70%+ for lockdown. I did not use the cooling feature for my first 2 hatches, but I will be this next time.

We'll see how this one pans out.

 

[Chook Chick]

My therm/hygr read the same as yours (since they're the same! LOL)... It was reading the temp just a little below the Brinsea. My first hatch I had 100% hatch rate, trusting the Brinsea directions, for their temp & humidity. However a couple of the chicks had weak legs and I had read somewhere that it can be anything from genetics, to nutrition, to cooler incubating temperatures. My humidity ran about 55% during the first incubation, and then with both reserviors filled it was at 70%+ for lockdown (increased to over 80%+ during hatching).

For my second incubation, I upped the Brinsea to 99.8 and that seemed to balance with my separate therm/hygr that I had in there. I also reduced my humidity so it ran about 30% during incubation and 60% for lockdown, to match what all the people here kept saying, so I wanted to follow all the advice. Well, I only had 3 of 5 eggs hatch this last time. The other two seemed to be sticky inside and a bit shrink wrapped. Was that from too low of humidity? Not sure, but it was the only thing I did lots different.

Like I said though, 100% hatch rate on the first time, so I think I should have listened to it.

I will be setting eggs again this weekend, and I plan on keeping my Brinsea temp at 99.8, and trusting Brinsea for the humidity. I will fill 1 reservior and let the humidity be at the 55% during incubation & 70%+ for lockdown. I did not use the cooling feature for my first 2 hatches, but I will be this next time.

We'll see how this one pans out.

Hmmmm interesting. What's the normal humidity for Michigan? Here in Colorado we are just dry dry dry. Even with snow we're dry.

I may adjust the temp to 99.8 just to see what is what; I have to fill the water pot about every other day to try and keep the humidity up.

Our temps here are just crazy! It's 32 one day and 60+ the next...that doesn't help regulate anything!

 

[Maah]

You can probably calibrate the store bought therm/hygr. There are threads that state how to do it. I think one is (& I'm guessing you'd put it in a ziplock sandwich bag first) then put it in a bowl of very icy water. If the therm reads 32 F, it's supposed to be good. I haven't done that with mine yet, but I plan on it before the next set and compare it with the brinsea (since I can't put the Brinsea in a bowl of icewater LOL).

The humidity here in MI is usually fairly high. However, we run a wood burning stove in the winter and it sucks the moisture out of the air and makes the humidity level in the house quite dry. I'm sure I'll get much different results in the spring/summer. Humidity is awful in the warm months around here!

 

[Maah]

To update on this... I decided to just go ahead and calibrate my separate thermometer/hygrometer yesterday since it was on my mind. It actually read spot on! Well... 32.2 degrees and that's close enough for me. So yes, I will go ahead and keep my brinsea at 99.8 for the next batch that I'm setting on Saturday.

 

[Chook Chick]

To update on this... I decided to just go ahead and calibrate my separate thermometer/hygrometer yesterday since it was on my mind. It actually read spot on! Well... 32.2 degrees and that's close enough for me. So yes, I will go ahead and keep my brinsea at 99.8 for the next batch that I'm setting on Saturday.

I raised mine to 99.6, and it alternates between that and 99.8.....works for me. I have the humidity going between 48% to 55% (according to my hygrometer). I set my eggs at 4:20pm today. So wish me luck, this is my first hatch.
I am hoping all goes well, but am not expecting anything too fantastic, the eggs I purchased are already 7 days old. Keep your fingers crossed!!

 

[Maah]

Good luck!

 

[Chook Chick]

Well, we are into day one and so far, so good. The eggs appear to be doing well, the temperature is reading 99.1 on my separate temp/hygrometer; reading between 99.6 and 99.8. Humidity is registering at 55%.

I have the automatic turner on and set at 10. I marked the eggs with an X on one side and an O on the other, plus I numbered them so I can chart results at day 7 with candling. I have noticed when the eggs are turning they only appear to turn 1/4 of the way, back and forth, never to the backside (to the O side). In the instructions it has the chart so you can set the auto turning to the size of the egg, and that's what it's set on, it just seems to me like they would turn completely from one side to the other.
Another thing is the "angle". I really wasn't sure about that at all! So I am hoping I have everything set and adjusted properly; and ofcourse pointed end towards the outside.

Kind of makes one become a bit anxious!!

 

[Gardengirl73]

Well, we are into day one and so far, so good. The eggs appear to be doing well, the temperature is reading 99.1 on my separate temp/hygrometer; reading between 99.6 and 99.8. Humidity is registering at 55%.

I have the automatic turner on and set at 10. I marked the eggs with an X on one side and an O on the other, plus I numbered them so I can chart results at day 7 with candling. I have noticed when the eggs are turning they only appear to turn 1/4 of the way, back and forth, never to the backside (to the O side). In the instructions it has the chart so you can set the auto turning to the size of the egg, and that's what it's set on, it just seems to me like they would turn completely from one side to the other.
Another thing is the "angle". I really wasn't sure about that at all! So I am hoping I have everything set and adjusted properly; and ofcourse pointed end towards the outside.

Kind of makes one become a bit anxious!!

Hi, if you go into your settings under 'angle', set it up higher. I have mine at 12 right now. The larger your eggs the higher the angle number needs to be to turn your eggs 180 degrees. It runs the motor longer so that the egg turns longer. Had the same problem until I went back over the directions. Mine are bbs orps and pretty large. Hope that helps. The word 'angle' is a little misleading isn't it? They are made in the U.K., so maybe the terminology is a little different. Don't know. Good luck!

 

[Chook Chick]

Hi, if you go into your settings under 'angle', set it up higher. I have mine at 12 right now. The larger your eggs the higher the angle number needs to be to turn your eggs 180 degrees. It runs the motor longer so that the egg turns longer. Had the same problem until I went back over the directions. Mine are bbs orps and pretty large. Hope that helps. The word 'angle' is a little misleading isn't it? They are made in the U.K., so maybe the terminology is a little different. Don't know. Good luck!

I didn't know that it could go any higher!! You have yours set at 12 - are your eggs larger than, let's say, a store bought regular sized egg? My "angle" setting is on 10 as I compared the circumference of the eggs I'm hatching to what is on the instructions that came with the Brinsea Mini Advance. It just seems to me that although that's what it says, I should maybe set mine to 11 or 12....geez!!
Yes, "angle" to me is if they were to be raised at a certain level....they need an American liason I think!!

I still have the temp on 99.6 - 99.8 which seems fine, but the humidity is all over the place. In the Brinsea instructions it says to fill one side of the water pot and leave the other empty for now....if I filled it, the humidity would skyrocket! I have the one side filled half full and it is holding at 50%. This is, if my temp hygrometer is working properly. I calibrated mine and it seemed like it was operating properly. I put it in the incubator and the temp never reads what the Brinsea says; it changes when the auto turn moves and so does the humidity.

So, I'm going to hope that the hygrometer part is registering correctly,

and once again, I'll trust Brinsea on the temperature, and I'm going to adjust the "angle".

Good grief!!

 

[Gardengirl73]

I didn't know that it could go any higher!! You have yours set at 12 - are your eggs larger than, let's say, a store bought regular sized egg? My "angle" setting is on 10 as I compared the circumference of the eggs I'm hatching to what is on the instructions that came with the Brinsea Mini Advance. It just seems to me that although that's what it says, I should maybe set mine to 11 or 12....geez!!
Yes, "angle" to me is if they were to be raised at a certain level....they need an American liason I think!!

I still have the temp on 99.6 - 99.8 which seems fine, but the humidity is all over the place. In the Brinsea instructions it says to fill one side of the water pot and leave the other empty for now....if I filled it, the humidity would skyrocket! I have the one side filled half full and it is holding at 50%. This is, if my temp hygrometer is working properly. I calibrated mine and it seemed like it was operating properly. I put it in the incubator and the temp never reads what the Brinsea says; it changes when the auto turn moves and so does the humidity.

So, I'm going to hope that the hygrometer part is registering correctly,

and once again, I'll trust Brinsea on the temperature, and I'm going to adjust the "angle".

Good grief!!

Yeah my eggs are a little larger. I checked last night and the angle number can go way up. Much higher than I have it set. Probably for larger waterfowl etc. I've heard of someone putting a toothpaste cap down in one side of the reservoir to lower the surface area and reduce humidity. People seem to have great hatches though with the mini so I'm going with it for now. I'm monitoring my egg weight though in case I need to adjust. Also, the brinsea has a cooling cycle to mimic a hen leaving the nest periodically (can be turned off). I think all the minor fluctuations are probably okay since it's that way with a hen. I know it's enough to drive you batty. My first batch in my still air I was ridiculously stressed.