Chic Chick 'Bator *UPDATED*

[Mrs MIA]

And I am happy to say that after dinking around with the new 'bator this morning, it is holding at 99.5°F and 59% humidity. I need to get cracking on the egg turner so I can adjust for the change in dynamics.

I am so freakin' excited!!!

Thank you, Miss Prissy, for sharing your wonderful ideas with the rest of us, and a big sloppy thank you kiss to my DH, AK-Bird-Brain, for his patience, understanding, and best of all, his electrical know-how! It would have taken a lot longer than an hour if I had had to really figure it out myself.

 

[noodles]

i would like to miss priss..

 

[Mrs MIA]

OK... so, once I added the turner, more dinking was required. Since then I have added a temperature probe sandwiched between two Ziploc baggies filled with water for my "egg" T°. I have added a piece of reflective insulation between the light and the thermostat. (If I build another one, I will put the thermostat in the middle of the cooler, not just above the light.) I removed some of the water, but it's still holding at 60-65% humidity. I think I'm going to have to reverse the water-adding process and suck the water out of the pan. Waiting for it to stabilize again before I tweak it. (I'm halfway tempted to sacrifice one egg, poke a hole in it, and insert the probe (in a baggie) for a real egg temp. )

So, here's the turner we devised... it's similar to the one previously pictured, but smaller. It's removable, too.
http://picasaweb.google.com/K9Mom2008/EggTurner?authkey=7SdMVIn_O0M

 

[Mrs MIA]

...anddddddd.... we have chicks!!! 'Bator worked like a charm! Thanks Miss Prissy!

 

[MissPrissy]

I am so glad to read of your success!!!

It takes a little effort but it can be done!

Don't forget to post photos!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Here's the first one, fresh out of the egg...

#1 & 2, drying off...

#3 is a black chick, hatched this morning. I'm waiting until she's all dried off to take photos.
#4 is still in the egg, I see movement, but may not be until tomorrow.

I'm addicted. I fully admit it, I'm addicted. I love hatching babies...

 

[MissPrissy]

I love new chicks! Congrats!

 

[Mrs MIA]

And it's all your fault

... if I hadn't seen your post on the incubator, we wouldn't have babies right now!!!
(but I wouldn't trade it for the world!!!)

 

[MissPrissy]

I really am very glad to read the success stories on the homemade bator. Success is empowering!

 

[Mrs MIA]

#2 - Light Brahma-pure (I hope, I hope, I hope!)

#3 - LBxBlack Australorp (has two little tufts on one ankle only...

)
And, just because I have a thing for fuzzy butts...

#1 - I'm thinking it's LBxBO... too light for a LBxRIR
We're having fun trying to figure out who mom is on each of these. We only have the Light Brahma Roo, in with BO, BA, RIR, BR and LB.

LOL!