Consolidated Kansas

[HEChicken]

You could tilt the whole unit back/forth like a Brinsea does...

When I hatched in egg cartons I used to prop one end of the incubator on a large book and alternate it multiple times throughout the day. Ultimately though, I found that they didn't hatch very well in egg cartons. So now I lay them on their side on the rubberized shelf liner that sits on the hardware cloth (you could do the same with Danz' set up). I mark an "x" and an "o" on opposite sides of the egg and hand turn them. The x and o help keep track of which eggs I've turned and which I haven't - believe me, it is easy to get confused. For small hatches I don't find it to be much of a hassle to hand-turn and I've had much better results since I switched to doing it like this.

Alternately you could incubate in egg cartons using the tilting method for turning, and then take them out of the egg cartons come hatch time, when you don't need to be turning anyway.

 

[Trish44]

As far as turning eggs, I agree with HEChicken, you can turn them by hand if you don't have lots of them to deal with. I did that with my turkey & peacock eggs because they're so big & I read you have better results with hatching that way. I also used the same method she did with marking them with an X & an O because you reall don't know if or how much you turned them otherwise.

maidenwolf, that's great that you found that cooler, it was there for you, sometimes things are just supposed to be that way. I hope you can find the other components you need to make the rest.

My big BC Marans rooster has a "cold", he's been sneezing & is making the trumpet sound every so often. I put VetRX on his beak & rubbed it all over his wattles last night figuring his body heat would help the fumes rise & help him breathe. He really didn't look good last night when I went in to pick him up off the roost but today he seems a little better. The color of his comb at least is better, which tells me he is exchanging more oxygen. I'm trying not to have to give the whole crew antibiotics right now, but I will if they all get sick. It seems like when we have a drastic weather change like we had that the birds do end up sick a lot of times.

 

[chicken danz]

The problem with egg cartons is they don't let the air circulate around them very well unless you cut a bunch of holes in them. A plastic hatching tray is a much better option. Personally without a turner I would lay them on their side and mark them as well. After all that is what happens when a chicken does it.
I didn't mention that my little olandsk rooster had a broken toe that my daughter sent me for Christmas. I was afraid it could be genetic and couldn't believe a highly respected breeder would send out a bird with a fault like that. My Daughter contacted her yesterday and forwarded her pictures I had sent. She was horrified and very apologetic. So she is sending me some eggs to make up for it. I love it when things work out. She did go out and check all of her 30 olandsk and none of them have a bad foot so we are all assuming it was an injury. She wants me to watch any hatches to make sure there is nothing genetic that comes up in the eggs she sent. I love it. More potential birds for free.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Ok so the marking is that on the pointed ends or the sides? How many times a day do I turn? I have a fan now too. Does anyone have any other options for things that I still need?
I have the cooler, the glass for a window, the bowl and clay pieces, the fan, shelf liner.

 

[ppimf]

ppimf, If I were buying one I would buy the farm innovators pro one just because it has the features you need without having to buy something later. I think a closet would be fine cause it will stay more stable than the rest of the house. If you could leave the door open to let some heat in and some fresh air that would be even better. I would however go to Walmart or someplace and buy a little portable digital thermometer with a prob on it that you could run into it. I have a couple of digital ones that also measure humidity that I used to just sit on top of my eggs that I got for maybe $8 at Walmart. Last time I checked they didn't have the super small ones I had purchased. The ones I've purchased which have been several have all been accurate.
Maidenwolf if the inside of the styro container is big enough I'd just buy a turner for a little giant or one of the other styros. Tractor supply has the cheapest ones I could find and if they don't have them in stock, you can order them and pick them up in the store with no shipping costs. Or the other option is to mark the eggs and turn them by hand. Not something I want to do, but it is okay if you don't have to hatch lots. You are a bit limited by the size of your container with what you can do.
I would find a cheap computer fan that runs on 110. If you have an old computer you can take one out of, it would be a freebee then. If you don't, ask around. Lots of people have old discarded desk top computers. Then wire it up using an old extention cord or a cord off of something that has quit. The $1 shop usually has 6 foot cords as well. I am in the habit of cutting off cords on anything that is trashed just to have them on hand.
The turners are usually about 17.5" X 17.5".
I plan to try to rig up a plastic hatching tray and a mechanism to turn the whole tmpray at once when I build my daughter's. But I think you would probably need a heavier cabinet to support that. Sunflower if you tilted the whole thing you would spill the water reservoir.

what does it have that the 1588 dosn't? it seems to me 1588 has about everything u could want. but alot higher lol i figured i would put blankets around the incubator for some extra insulatiion maybe i shouldn't do that? would one of those egg-o-meters they sell on e-bay work for humd. and temp

 

[maidenwolfx80]

I have everything to make my incubator, except a hygometer.... Any ideas on something to use?????? What do I need the thermostat for?

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

what does it have that the 1588 dosn't? it seems to me 1588 has about everything u could want. but alot higher lol i figured i would put blankets around the incubator for some extra insulatiion maybe i shouldn't do that? would one of those egg-o-meters they sell on e-bay work for humd. and temp

Things incubators can have:
Box/container
source of heat
thermostate to control the heat some have an electronic control and some have a wafer.
themometor
fan to distribute the heat
hygrometor
turner to turn the eggs automatically.

The first four you have to have, the rest can be optional, but make it easier.

Make sure you know what comes with the one you are looking at. Usually the thermometor that comes with them doesn't work right, so you will be buying another one of those.

I think the 1588 comes factory set for 99.5. Ask about that.

The 1588 should have more head room inside for bigger chicks or duckling, etc. Ask about that if it matters to you.

All of the styro will benefit from extra insulation. A blanket around the bator will add that insulation. Remember to allow for air flow. Small towels folded and put on the view windows will also add some insulation and can be put on or taken off for fine tuning of the temps without touching the temp control.

I know GQF has great customer service if you deal with the company. I don't know about Farm innovations/that seller.

The 1588 is getting into the price range of some of the cheaper high end bators. You can get a Brinsea Eco 20 without a turner for 129 + shipping now from the company. And if you do it right there is a code word discount. They can be manually turned without opening the bator. Don't hold as many eggs. The price goes up fast with the bells and whistles.

Some people love any one of the common incubators. Some people hate any one of the common incubators.

Don't hesitate to ask the company that makes the bators or the seller questions. If one seller doesn't want to be bothered to answer, there are more sellers offering the bators.

All of the common brands have been around for many decades. They all have good points and bad points.

 

[Chickies-duckies-etc]

I have everything to make my incubator, except a hygometer.... Any ideas on something to use?????? What do I need the thermostat for?

To control the heat. Like the thermostate that controls the heat in your home from the furnace. But you will want one that is more sensitive so there is not as much swing in temps.

I saw some of the ones HEChicken used on Amazon. Prices for the same item was a lot different for the different sellers. Amazon does sell some themselves, lower price and free shipping if the total order is $25 or more. I didn't look, but they probably have the hygrometor also. On Amazon, watch who the seller is to avoid extra shipping.

 

[maidenwolfx80]

To control the heat. Like the thermostate that controls the heat in your home from the furnace. But you will want one that is more sensitive so there is not as much swing in temps.

I saw some of the ones HEChicken used on Amazon. Prices for the same item was a lot different for the different sellers. Amazon does sell some themselves, lower price and free shipping if the total order is $25 or more. I didn't look, but they probably have the hygrometor also. On Amazon, watch who the seller is to avoid extra shipping.

I am going to try without a thermostate. I have read a few ways to do this. I am taking HEChickens directions and tweaking them.. I hope it all goes well. SO far the little bator is holding heat and we are at 99

 

[chicken danz]

I started a reply to this last night and wore out. Yesterday was such a busy day. Maidenwolf I really don't know how you could get by without some kind of thermostat. Once years ago I had a heat thing I used on the bottom of an aquarium for some critter I had. I didn't have a thermostat so I just wired it to an old electric blanket control and tweeked it until the temperature was adjusted right. I don't know how accurate it stayed cause all I had was a 99 cent thermometer, but it did work for what I was doing.
The marks need to be on the long sides of the eggs so they can be turned 180 degrees a minimum of 3 times a day. In an incubator with a turner they are sat large end up but the turner moves them from side to side. You would need to lay them flat like the hens would lay them in a nest and then turn each one to the opposite side. It is easier if you set a particular time of day for each turn to help you remember to do it.
Ppmif, the farm innovators comes with more equipment,including the candler, has the hard outer shell rather than just styro and is cheaper. In my books any incubator can be made to work if you adjust it here and there regardless of cost. And the most expensive ones can be worthless if you don't know what you are doing.

I had a very busy day yesterday. I got my feeding and watering done. It just kept getting colder and colder and the air was thick in fog-like mist. I was already cold but decided to start building a new big dog house. DH was home so of course he had different ideas than I did and kept slowing me down. I just wanted to get it done. I planned to build it with a basic design but he had this idea to build it faster. Which faster for him equates to much slower for me. Because he was here, I ended up havign to change sizes several times, design several times, how to build several times, etc. I tried to do it my way but of course he kept inputting. So when he didn't listen to what I wanted to do with the floor, and later it wasn't working, it was my fault because he was rushed too much to think it through.
Soooooo, I could have had it all done but it is sitting on a trailer, anything but done still needing lots of work. I do hope he plans to get back out there today and help me with it since I am trying to adapt to his plan. He has to go back to work tomorrow and I need it done today. He was complaining that we couldn't ever do a project together. It's very simple that I don't have the patience to stand around and stare at something. At any rate I started cutting boards and putting things together so the basic box is done. I wanted to frame for the doorway and cut it out but he wanted to have the box built and do it later. I see that as pretty silly, cause now I will have to crawl inside it to do it. But I go along with some of these things just to keep the peace. I am going to let him do the roof framing and I sure hope he doesn't take forever. I want this thing in place by this evening. I have three dogs and two houses. One of the houses is bigger and two dogs can get in it but one of them usually ends up getting pushed out on the ground. It's not fair to them. Of course these big dogs take huge dog houses too.