Calling all Leahy and other Redwood Cabinet Owners

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Last night, my Leahy 416 went haywire... Wouldn't hold a temp straight to save my life. We ended up crawling in and spraying out the disks... GREAT SUCCESS so you were right when you suggested this. Thank Goodness!

Chicks are hatching today and haven't noticed any major malfunction due to the temps or the spray or being out of incubator for awhile...

Glad about that too!

DAve

 

[MSLewis]

Your secondary may have kicked in, too, if your primary allowed the temp to reach the secondary's minimum. Glad you got it back working.

Two nights ago, a big storm took out our power for nearly 4 hours. I was awake when the power went out, so we immediately jumped up, closed the vents, and covered the 416 with blankets. Three hours later ( at 2 in the morning), temp in the gator had dropped to 90 and the lightening slacked enough for me to feel safe in cranking up my motorhome's generator to power up the Leahy. Just as temps reached 95, the power came back on, and just as I got the genny shut down and the cords put away and the leahy back on city power, the power went out again. This time, thinking that the outagel would be short-lived since it had just been on, I didn't go back out and crank the genny. Another hour passed until it finally came back on. Temps never dropped below 90, and the hatch that was due today is happening on schedule. I am very impressed and pleased with this machine! Had it not been so well built, temps would have dropped like a rock and our hatc would have been even more threatened.

We had chicks in the brooder, too. To keep them warm while the power was out, I opened up some of my Hot Hands leftover from deer season. You know, the cheap little iron oxide packets that get warm when exposed to air. I set them under a paper towel, and the chicks snuggled up and went to sleep on them. Worked like a charm.

Another Leahy tip: The fellow we purchased ours from, a hobbyist restorer of these machines, replaces original fans only if necessary. To get one working again, he first blows it out with compressed air, then oils it. He says that, 9 times out of 10, this works. Leahy says to use a penetrating oil on the bearings if fans seems sluggish. If necessary, though, this restorer uses ventilating fans from oven/range vents. He says they are a bolt-on replacement, built to last, quiet, and available cheap either used or new.

Mike

 

[seabreeze]

HELP! A lady on a poultry list we are both on notified said list there was an old redwood incubator available which I promptly snatched up but it took a couple of weeks to get it. She had to travel 100s of miles to bring it to a poultry show so I could pick it up. Long story short, it is a Montgomery Ward (don't have the specifics off the back plate, will go over to barn and get) but here is a photo of it.



No manuals or instructions came with it; it has 4 small trays (screened) that you access from the front which is a drop down panel. Top does NOT lift up/off. Thermostat is in the center of top (you can barely see it) and he said it needs replacing. The cord to plug in also has some wear on it and we plan on replacing it. Any suggestions on if any thermostat will do or is there specific ones we need to find?

It can only hold about 100 eggs but that is fine with us, we do small hatches.

Anyone with information about this type of incubator, any help or answers would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!!

 

[seabreeze]

Sorry, I forgot to hit *immediate reply below* so I'd be notified if anyone answers. thanks.

 

[wescottwomen]

My hubby just brought home 2 of these one is a 416 and the other needs major restore but I'm gonna read all you guys suggest and keep this as a subscription

 

[Brooksville352]

I have one exactly the same. Have you found any manual or any operating info ? Think I am going to sell the one I have.

HELP! A lady on a poultry list we are both on notified said list there was an old redwood incubator available which I promptly snatched up but it took a couple of weeks to get it. She had to travel 100s of miles to bring it to a poultry show so I could pick it up. Long story short, it is a Montgomery Ward (don't have the specifics off the back plate, will go over to barn and get) but here is a photo of it. No manuals or instructions came with it; it has 4 small trays (screened) that you access from the front which is a drop down panel. Top does NOT lift up/off. Thermostat is in the center of top (you can barely see it) and he said it needs replacing. The cord to plug in also has some wear on it and we plan on replacing it. Any suggestions on if any thermostat will do or is there specific ones we need to find? It can only hold about 100 eggs but that is fine with us, we do small hatches. Anyone with information about this type of incubator, any help or answers would be greatly appreciated, thank you!!!

 

[Sunflowers0]

Hello there,
There's a 416 for sale on Boston craigslist.
http://boston.craigslist.org/sob/grd/4994128625.html

 

[tpulido123]

I have questions, I need help! We purchased a Leahy 416 and 2nd batch is in. (We lost 15 eggs and only 1 survived, we did everything wrong to start on 1st batch) I've been eating and breathing here on this site and others and youtube. We've never used an incubator. Our Leahy works fine, all original, starts right up, temp and humidity no problems.. So my question is Why does my paper on my Leahy say HUMIDITY 84° and last 3 days 88° and everywhere else it's like half that first 18 days then 60-70 last 3 days? Did I kill all my eggs trying to do what most call for when my Leahy Cleary states higher humidity? Note: My hubby thought storing small end up and setting small end up and turning incorrectly was how to do this...but I researched toward the end of batch and believe this also had a lot to do with my babies not making it

I've since learned how to candle, water candle, control humidity by adding a pan with a bit of depth helps with controlling humidity longer and I've even had to open up my eggs to see infertile, blood rings and full growth but no pip. I believe I've done all the research I can but now to get this humidity question answered...my husband will say what most call for but I'm thinking we should be doing what manual says..can anyone tell me out there?!?#? All help appreciated!

Dave, please tell me how you do your staggered hatches.


Until I was convinced otherwise, here is what I had planned: set eggs in top tray. One week later, move that tray to 2nd position and set new eggs in top tray. Continue until trays are full, oldest at bottom and newest at top, maintaining 50-55% humidity. Last 3 days for bottom tray, bring humidity up to 70-75%, let them hatch and dry and remove to brooder, then allow incubator to dry down to around 40 for a few days, then bring back up to hatching humidity for next batch. I guess I had planned on turning all other eggs during hatch ... But hadn't really thought about it thoroughly. This is basically how the Leahy manual suggests staggering the hatch. Turning would be much easier and faster if I had a proper turning rod to slide under the eggs. Perhaps that is the key.


Another question: Leahy suggests regular motor oil for fan motor. What do y'all use?


The 416 has two thermostats, one of which is a back up. I set ours up as described.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

I have questions, I need help! We purchased a Leahy 416 and 2nd batch is in. (We lost 15 eggs and only 1 survived, we did everything wrong to start on 1st batch) I've been eating and breathing here on this site and others and youtube. We've never used an incubator. Our Leahy works fine, all original, starts right up, temp and humidity no problems.. So my question is Why does my paper on my Leahy say HUMIDITY 84° and last 3 days 88° and everywhere else it's like half that first 18 days then 60-70 last 3 days? Did I kill all my eggs trying to do what most call for when my Leahy Cleary states higher humidity? Note: My hubby thought storing small end up and setting small end up and turning incorrectly was how to do this...but I researched toward the end of batch and believe this also had a lot to do with my babies not making it

I've since learned how to candle, water candle, control humidity by adding a pan with a bit of depth helps with controlling humidity longer and I've even had to open up my eggs to see infertile, blood rings and full growth but no pip. I believe I've done all the research I can but now to get this humidity question answered...my husband will say what most call for but I'm thinking we should be doing what manual says..can anyone tell me out there?!?#? All help appreciated!

I just looked at my Leahy manual and what you are reading is the wet bulb temperature.
Everyone uses relative humidity now. So incubating at 30-40% and hatching at 50-60% I use one of the Incutherm digital thermometer/hygrometers with the remote sensor. I hang the sensor down through one of the vent holes so it hangs just above the eggs.

If you buy one, you'll need to test it. One of mine is off by 5%

You can read about the upgrades I made on mine here https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-new-old-leahy-416-redwood-incubator

I'd be glad to answer any questions. It's a great incubator.

 

[tpulido123]

Yes, thank you. I didnt know the difference

i had purchased one like you have but it was off too much took it back and the zoo-med are doing a much better job for us. It's been operator error over here...smh. I am so glad for the responses as i have been stressing on this humidity question. Thank you and im day one second try right humidity levels