Chic Chick 'Bator *UPDATED*

[MandyH]

If anybody cares, you can ask the sporting goods department at wal-mart to save you a styrofoam box that the nightcrawlers come in. That's what I used to build my first incubator AND made a hatcher out of another one. They are huge, free, and have like 9 big circular indentions in the bottom that hold the worm cups that are great for your water and you don't have a pan of water in the way or taking up space.

 

[4H kids and mom]

If anybody cares, you can ask the sporting goods department at wal-mart to save you a styrofoam box that the nightcrawlers come in. That's what I used to build my first incubator AND made a hatcher out of another one. They are huge, free, and have like 9 big circular indentions in the bottom that hold the worm cups that are great for your water and you don't have a pan of water in the way or taking up space.

Now that is a good idea!

I am going to get one and try my hand at making a suitable hatcher for the eggs currently in my HovaBator. I do have a question about the water weasel/water wiggler....I dont have one and I know I should so I am gettin one today and a simple probe thermometer to stick in it. Will any old water wiggler work? Generic OK, or do I need somethin special? Anyone ever melt one in the bator? lol Right now my bator holds steady air temp at 100.1 exactly with 47% humidity (when my air conditioning is on) and 50-52% (when the air conditioning is off).

Good job MissPrissy! Great concept and well put together. I will watch to see how this works with your eggs in it!​

 

[MissPrissy]

Redneck used a worm box from Walmart for his incubator. He had a great hatch, too. Look under Worm Box Bator if you are interested.

 

[MissPrissy]

It was with great excitement that I walked over to the post office yesterday morning hoping that my 2 day priority box from mothergoose had arrived on the morning truck. My eager hands cradled the box when it was passed across the counter.

No sooner had I stepped outside that I felt the sticky wet drip on my hands. Oh, no!

As soon as I got home I opened the box and began inspecting each egg. As I reached the bottom right hand side there I began to discover the broken eggs.

Of the 20 eggs shipped 15 of them arrived in tact.

They have been sitting 24 hours on my counter while the incubator sat idling.

This morning I marked them with a pencil and placed then in the incubator.

Today is day #1.

I will be posting all of my daily notes and observations on this thread for the next 21 (or so) days.

Temp - regulated inside the water wiggler at 99.9 F.
Humidty - 45%

Wish me luck, please.

Updated to add:

I forgot to mention these are Welsummer eggs.

 

[ChrystalGail]

Good luck & Happy Hatching!

I had my power go out last night for about 8 hours and I'm a bit worried about the eggs. We are on day 10 and I hope they are going to be okay.

 

[Fancy Feather Poultry]

Wouldn't be day 0 if you set the eggs in today?

 

[silkiechicken]

I think the general rule is if you set before noon, it is day 1, after noon it is day 0. They will start to hatch about 504 hours after you set them

 

[thndrdancr]

I tried to get Walmart to save the worm boxes for me and they wouldnt do it. Told me they had stryrofoam cooler I could BUY if I wanted, but they would NOT save one for me.

Some customer service.

Oh, question, what humidity is too high/too low when you first set eggs, just trying to get idea of best ranges? Thanks

 

[MissPrissy]

Quote:
7:33 am began day 1. This morning at 7:33 am Day 1 ends and Day 2 begins.

Thank you, Silkiechicken, that is the way it works - I think LOL

Sorry about that, thndrdancr. In return don't buy their fish bait, tit for tat. If you go back and someone else is there ask politely and you just might get one anyway. LOL

Heck, why not ask - the worst anyone can say is, "No".

I live in central Virginia (by far not the deep south) but the humidity here is really high right now. My incubator settings read between 39% and 45% right now (45% - 65% is optimal) and I have not added any extra water yet. I have 15 eggs in there that are creating all of the humidity themselves.

hey - redneck!!! where the heck are you? I have some questions. When my incubator was empty it idled and help a perfect temp. Now with the eggs in there the temp is flunctuating a bit more than I like. Did yours?

 

[Davaroo]

Just for the record, it's recommended that your heat source should be above the eggs. Can't remember why, but I've read it in several places over the years.... some of the sources scientfic papers and such. Just something to chew on...

Also, if you hinge the viewing window, you can turn eggs or whatever without opening the whole lid.

Nice job!