Consolidated Kansas

[maidenwolfx80]

Thank you Josie all the info is very important for us all to know. things can happen with out notice and the birds we care so dearly for, no matter if you have 6 or 506, we love our birds and to have soemthing wipe our flocks out would be devestating. I always try to use all the caution I can when dealing with all of my animals. I would rather be a spaz about their care than be to lax and lose them. Even losing then 3 that I have has been emotionally trying and I know that with chickens, ducks, turkey, peafowl, or what have you these things happen and the more you have the more it happens. It is wise for us all to take caution and learn from those with past knowledge. I appreciate each and every one of you for all the help, support and advice I ahev been given. All of you are extremely wise and giving people and I value the wonderful friendships I am making here.

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I just want to add one thing in here about smaller incubators. I learned this using the LGs in the beginning. They need to be up against a wall away from any drafts and and heat vents. Room temperature must stay stable and solid. If adding water always add very warm (like hot from the faucet water to compensate for taking the lid off. I often just removed one of the windows on mine and never actually took the lid off to add water. Keep in mind if the temperature fluctuates if you have a lid off it is no different than a hen getting off the nest to eat and drink. It's the internal temperature of the eggs that makes all the difference in the world....not the external temperature. ALWAYS regulate your temperature and get it steady BEFORE you ever think about adding eggs. The time to mess with it isn't after the eggs have been added. Onc eyou get it stablized for about 24 hours....LEAVE IT ALONE! I put a mark on mine when I had the temp set and maintained at the perfect 99.5 where the eggs sat.
I read several revues on the farm innovators site and most of the revues were good. The one thing it said was the thermometer and hygrometer dial was for reference only (even says so in the instructions) and to go by a thermometer placed on top the eggs to verify how close it read. It said the hygrometer was pretty accurate but the thermometer could be way off. They do include a separate thermometer for inside. If I were using one of these I would do what I did with my styros. I had a remote digital thermometer with a prob I just laid on top of the eggs. It was dirt cheap, under $10.
I honestly think a lot of failures get blamed on the incubators because people don't know how to use them properly. I had good hatches with my styros, not as great as what I have with the GQFs but very within above average limits.
The way I see it, if people can hatch eggs with a homemade box, a light bulb, and a thermostat from a water heater which will fluctuate by huge swings you don't have to spend a fortune to hatch eggs. It's at least 75% management.
Yes I am very spoiled to my GQF's that do all the work for me but I still use the others when I run out of space.
Okay I'll get off my soapbox.
Hawkeye I meant to say that really is a great picture. I do not photograph well. Maybe I am just uglier than I think, and it's really not the photos' fault!!!
I panicked this morning cause I opened windows yesterday in the brooder since it was warmer to let some fresh air in. I just knew I would have dead chicks this morning. I ran out in my jammies and they were all just fine. With the temperature dipping down again all through next week it really worries me I will start loosing babies again. I need to buy a few more bales of shavings. I thought I had a couple left but I had used them in the hen house and forgotten.
I need to deliver eggs to town again today and go finish decorating at my Dad's apartment.
DH built some sides for the camper topper some of the birds use for a chicken coop. I had put netting around it to protect them and a bale of straw to block the wind. (It was sitting on saw horses before.) It does make a fairly nice little coop for them especially for winter. And I can always open windows to get breeze in there. It doesn't look quite as trashy.
I really wish he had made a shelter for my pig though instead. I need to get busy on that project for sure.

I do know that the 2 I had to return had defective lids - they didn't even sit on there straight and had gaps - Brinsea agreed once they received them back. The 3rd one I received did great - then all of a sudden, no changes in anything - dropped from 99.5 to 90... it took 3 days to slowly get the temp up - it maintained for a good 24 hours - then woke up one morning to it being 103... it has been at 100 for another day - just went in to check and it is back up to 102.. This is without me doing anything. I don't believe I am at fault for this not working. Brinsea just sent me an email a few minutes ago stating I can return the item for a refund - I am going to do this. I am thinking of ordering the R-Com - I don't care about cost - I want something that works and is reliable - I've lost about 4 dozen eggs using this Brinsea.

 

[Hawkeye95]

I do know that the 2 I had to return had defective lids - they didn't even sit on there straight and had gaps - Brinsea agreed once they received them back. The 3rd one I received did great - then all of a sudden, no changes in anything - dropped from 99.5 to 90... it took 3 days to slowly get the temp up - it maintained for a good 24 hours - then woke up one morning to it being 103... it has been at 100 for another day - just went in to check and it is back up to 102.. This is without me doing anything. I don't believe I am at fault for this not working. Brinsea just sent me an email a few minutes ago stating I can return the item for a refund - I am going to do this. I am thinking of ordering the R-Com - I don't care about cost - I want something that works and is reliable - I've lost about 4 dozen eggs using this Brinsea.

Well, if you don't care about the cost, then I bet you will LOVE the R-COM!!! Ooooh, let me know how it goes! I just dream of having one of those. It probably isn't going to happen. I can't justify nearly $450! LOL

ETA-- seriously, I want pictures of it when you get it!! I think they are the coolest things!

 

[sunflowerparrot]

Well, if you don't care about the cost, then I bet you will LOVE the R-COM!!! Ooooh, let me know how it goes! I just dream of having one of those. It probably isn't going to happen. I can't justify nearly $450! LOL

ETA-- seriously, I want pictures of it when you get it!! I think they are the coolest things!

I am planning on placing the order Monday - I sent them an email asking 2 questions - once I get those questions asked, I will then decide. I asked if I can hatch duck eggs with the trays the unit comes with (don't want to buy extra trays for this) and asked if it had a temperature alarm (I read where it has humidity alarm)

I'm also waiting to hear back from Brinsea - they said to send the unit back for a refund - I want to make sure it is a 100% refund.

I'm guessing I won't hear back from either until Monday - but, I am for sure buying the R-Com after I've read review and review of great things. I've not found a single negative thing - I'm trying to find something negative! lol I did read that King Suro is not their best product (darn - it is on sale for $199!)

 

[ppimf]

so i'm still trying to figure out what incubater to get don't wanna spend more than 200 thats what i can get a 1588 with turner for. i like the hard case but not sure how good it is. please help i need to be able to incubate 30 to 40 eggs at a time. should i get the genisis 1588 or is it a waste of money get something cheaper ?

 

[sunflowerparrot]

so i'm still trying to figure out what incubater to get don't wanna spend more than 200 thats what i can get a 1588 with turner for. i like the hard case but not sure how good it is. please help i need to be able to incubate 30 to 40 eggs at a time. should i get the genisis 1588 or is it a waste of money get something cheaper ?

TRISH has a Genesis 1588 I think - maybe she'll be on later to answer your question (she just left my house not too long ago and was heading home to put everyone up for the night)

 

[maidenwolfx80]

Ok I moved my 10 week old "Goddess chicks" intothe coop with the big kids. After everyone was on roost I moved the girls in there one at a time and they stayed, such good girls listening to momma, I checked once and one was on the floor I put her back up and she snuggled back up with everyone and everyone is happy and nestled,,, oh, dear they are growing up so fast. I dont have any more chicks in the house and my DD and I are ,,, lonely "SIGH" But she doesnt know that mommy may have her an early xmas present lined up for her

If so she wont be lonely too long.

Ok so here is a PVC trough feeder I made, I shoved empty soup cans in the ends and screwed them in

 

[sunflowerparrot]

I cannot tell if these 2 items are the same. One says 20 Max and the other says 20 Standard. But - I cannot see the picture of the 20 Standard to see if it is the say as the 20 Max. The price difference is one website has shipping included, the other is $53 for shipping.

http://r-comincubators.com/detail.htm?ProductID=MX-20 ($379 and $0 shipping)

http://r-com-incubators.com/ ($359 +$53 shipping)

 

[Trish44]

so i'm still trying to figure out what incubater to get don't wanna spend more than 200 thats what i can get a 1588 with turner for. i like the hard case but not sure how good it is. please help i need to be able to incubate 30 to 40 eggs at a time. should i get the genisis 1588 or is it a waste of money get something cheaper ?

Ok I moved my 10 week old "Goddess chicks" intothe coop with the big kids. After everyone was on roost I moved the girls in there one at a time and they stayed, such good girls listening to momma, I checked once and one was on the floor I put her back up and she snuggled back up with everyone and everyone is happy and nestled,,, oh, dear they are growing up so fast. I dont have any more chicks in the house and my DD and I are ,,, lonely "SIGH" But she doesnt know that mommy may have her an early xmas present lined up for her

If so she wont be lonely too long.

Ok so here is a PVC trough feeder I made, I shoved empty soup cans in the ends and screwed them in


maidenwolf, I like your feeder, it has lots of room for them to eat side by side. I'm going to redo mine in my main coop in the spring or sooner if I have the chance. I want to come up with something even better than what I have. I really like that I can put 10 pounds of feed in mine at a time in case I want to go away for the weekend. I just need to come up with a better system at the bottom.

I got my two little chicks home from Sunflowerparrot's that she had hatched from my eggs as her first hatch. One of them is an EE, she has cute little puffy cheeks. The other really looks like a Sussex & since I have both hens & a rooster it could be. All of the other chicks looked mostly like Marans. I just kept these two because they're so darned cute. I usually don't like to keep chicks through the winter & I know my DH is going to come in & start complaining about me having chicks in the house again, oh well. I had quite a few of them in the house through the hot summer when I was hatching.

 

[ppimf]

I cannot tell if these 2 items are the same. One says 20 Max and the other says 20 Standard. But - I cannot see the picture of the 20 Standard to see if it is the say as the 20 Max. The price difference is one website has shipping included, the other is $53 for shipping.

http://r-comincubators.com/detail.htm?ProductID=MX-20 ($379 and $0 shipping)

http://r-com-incubators.com/ ($359 +$53 shipping)

whats the difference in the max and the king suro . i need to buy my first incubator for this spring