Chic Chick 'Bator *UPDATED*

[Smartie_Pants]

Okay, I am going attempt to make one of these since my LG was aweful and got a little melted on accident. I think I've followed everything so far, but I do have a question. Your fan and thermostat need to be away from the wall, so how do you space them? What goes between the wall and the object to space it?

 

[duckncover]

I need directions on how to get my thermostat to work?

 

[pegasuschick]

Hello,
I recently made a miss prissy bator and have the first eggs set. I watched it for about two weeks to make sure it was functioning correctly first.
Just wanted to note a couple of things....
The first problem I encountered was that the fan from an old computer was a 12 volt (output) instead of the 5 so I had to purchase a 12 volt adapter which works fine. Of course I had every other voltage possible but not the 12 volt, darn it.
The second thing was that when I had the hot water heater thermostat attached to the wall of the bator the temps fluctuated too much. Someone (can't remember who) suggested that he had to put the thermostat on the floor, off the wall and it functioned correctly. That is what I had to do too and now it runs between 99 and 100. It took a while of barely moving the adjustment to get it there and I haven't touched it since.
I didn't use a styro cooler because it is winter and I couldn't find one but was lucky and found a stryo shipping box at the thrift store which had very thick walls so I used that. I put a glass window in it which seems to exchange less heat than the plastic on the Hovabator.
My hovabator eggs are at day 19 so I am getting excited. Time will tell which bator works better but I don't think there is any question about the prissy bator being the better one.
Thanks for the instructions!!!
Gina

 

[flyweed]

for those of you that use water wigglers, or are trying to find them and can't. I have another idea that works well.

I use a chicken egg in my quail bator. I blew out the chicken egg, and then put a spot of hot glue over one hole..filled it with water, inserted my thermometer probe..then hot glued it shut. INSTANT water wiggler...it will now give you a precise temp reading inside an actual egg shell, so you have a better idea of internal temps on your actual eggs.

I find it is easier to maintain temps this way, than trying to keep the air temp a constant.

Hope that helps
Dan

 

[chickenlove2009]

do you think that you would need a turner if you had a heat source aboveand below the bator?

 

[pegasuschick]

You still have to turn them to keep them from sticking to the inside of the shell.
Gina

 

[Rooster8402]

you did do a fantastic job and I hate to bite your work but if one of my kids has a science project I will have an idea on what they can build for it and the crcraftsmanship and the design are flawless and will surely bless them with first place. again great job.
"Rooster"

 

[Rooster8402]

oh just a suggestion for you smarty pants there are diferent kinds of washers you can use and can be bought at a hardware store metal,plastic, ect. you can ask the person helping what style will work for your application and that should take care of your spacing issue

 

[Rooster8402]

to duck and cover . most thermostats have a mercury switch which is attatch to a heat sencitive coil which expands and retracts . did you make sure that the thermostat is level cause if its vertical instead of horazontal then the mercury will never make contact with the 2 wires that insert into the mercury chamber. the only other thing I can think of would be a wiring issue. but I won't give electrical advise, because I would hate tell you something wrong and have a bad to severe result good luck with your incubator duck I hope you get the issue straightened out and can get to hatching those eggs.

 

[HappyHatch'en]

I'm one of the few, the proud and the ugly....who have read this thread from the start....it should be mandatory reading class 101.....
HappyHatch'en