Dickey Incubator Questions

[Farmer_Dan]

First, I'm wondering about the different models, he has 2 models, a 2 X 2 model and a 3 X 1 model. I'm wondering what the point is of the 2X2 model. It seems like with the 3X1 model, you can add eggs every week and then every week move a new batch of eggs down into the hatching tray, and then each week be constantly hatching out a tray full of chicks. With the 2X2 one, maybe you could incubate the 2 trays and then move them to the hatching trays, but why not just stop the normal trays from turning the eggs for the last 3 days?

Second, I'm wondering if the automatic humidity feature is necessary. Do people have experiences with and/or without it?

Third, What about that clear door? Does it leak heat, does it make the thing require more power and/or cause it to be less stable w/ the temp?

Thats it (for now)

Thanks in advance!!

~Dan

 

[keesmom]

Unfortunately I can only answer questions about the clear door. Temperature has been reliably stable, never going beyond 0.5 degrees in variation in over a week of running it. Not sure if the clear door needs more power than a solid door but I suspect power usage is about the same.

I got the 3x1 model, without the auto humidity system. My best hatches so far in other incubators have been with the dry incubation method so I opted not to use the auto humidity system.

 

[perolane]

I have the 2X2 electronic thermostat with full acrylic door & love it! I also use a dry incubation method, so I did not get the auto humidity system.

If you just stop the turners at hatching time, your chicks will fall a long way to the bottom!

I set a batch of eggs every Saturday morning & have chicks hatching every week just like you would in the 3X1. I like the 2 hatching trays..I can seperate the eggs by chick color, type, shipped eggs, etc.

 

[muddyhorse]

I have the automatic humidity it works great. I have the full acrylic door, which has saved two chicks for me. apparently two of the eggs had been under a broody before going in the bater I glanced in and saw they had hatched early still in the top tray.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I have the 3x1 w/ clear door and electronic thermostat. Had it over a month. Love it. Temps stay stable. I keep it at 100 and it stays there, even when the temps in the room swing +/- 5-10 degrees.

I don't think the clear door leaks heat at all, plus like the other poster said it has saved 2 chicks for me so far. Missed to eggs as I was moving them and woke up to 2 little white silkies sitting in the incubation tray.

I didn't get the humidity pail. I don't add water anyways. I do dry incubation, and the humidity stays around 18%. I tried incubating with the humidity the directions said too, but the eggs didn't lose enough moisture.

I would say def. get the acrylic door, or you'll probably regret it later.

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I have the 2x2 model with the plexiglass door and electronic thermostat. I do staggered hatches in it. In fact mine has been running continuously for two months now. The clear door is wonderful and I highly recommend getting it.

 

[Farmer_Dan]

For those that do staggered hatches, how do you regulate the humidity in the hatching tray(s) differently than the humidity on the ones in the turner trays?

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I don't. They all get the same humidity. For this reason I do not set eggs more than once a week. This gives the younger eggs time to finish losing their necessary moisture before their final three days arrive and I increase the humidity again. When I'm doing staggered hatches I let the box run a few points lower than I keep the humidity at when I'm not doing staggered hatches.