Brinsea octagon 20 with automatic cradle

[abidaby]

I've ordered one and should be arriving tomorrow and then my eggs should be arriving on Wednesday. Has anyone used the octagon 20 before? How did you find it? How did you manage the humidity? What temperature did you set it at?
Abi

 

[abidaby]

Also did you leave them to hatch in there or move them? If you left them to hatch in there, when did you take them out?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I have the octagon 20 advance EX with humidity pump and I love it
Admittedly I've not done ducks in it but lots of chicken eggs.

Are you getting the advance model or the Eco? The cradle works the same for both but the temp and humidity controls are different for the two models.

 

[abidaby]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I have the eco one but without the humidity pump so I've read that you have to fill up the trays every other day or so?

 

[Pork Pie]

Heres a link that you may find interesting https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/579490/the-brinsea-octagon-20-eco-thread-hatches-etc-pics

Also, there are video tutorials on the Brinsea website - one of which discusses water levels and humidity.

CT

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I would recommend you get a hygrometer to pop in the incubator so you can read what the humidity is. Depending on the conditions in your home ie how humid or not will depend on how often you have to top up the water Chanel in the incubator. I have read just half filling one of the channels is recommended for the Eco as when the incubator turns on the cradle water can slop out if it's too full. Then at lockdown fill both channels and you may need to add some cloth/kitchen towel to create more surface area of water for the higher humidity at hatch time.

 

[abidaby]

What sort of hygrometer? Where would you put it? Dry cloth or damp? Would a jay cloth be ok? Where would you put the cloth? Sorry I'm new to this!! Lol, I can't really see the picture that you've posted.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

This is what I use in my other incubator that I have ~

I got it from Jolleyes pet store in the reptile section for about £4. You can put it in the incubator anywhere inbetween your dividers that come with the incubator.
This is how I use it in my other incubator ~

You only need to add cloth at lockdown (When you stop turning the eggs) and bumb the humidity up high.

Jay cloth is fine and it needs to be damp. The cloth shoukd wick the water up out of the wells to create more humidity for lockdown and hatch.

You can click on the pics to enlarge them

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

This article is great ~ https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

Well worth the read and an absolute bible on incubating and hatching

 

[abidaby]

Fab, thank you. I will order one now. Haha, thanks for that!!! Do I need to take the dividers out on lock down? What % humidity do you use throughout and then for lock down?