DIY Incubator: Questions

[Ted_Harrell]

Make sure you let your shipped eggs sit overnight to stabilize and yeah 30-40 is fine for humidity until lockdown about 3 days before they are due to hatch. Good luck and let us know how it come out...

 

[ladybrasa]

Thanks everyone for the comments! Let me try to reply (sorry if I missed any comment) ...

And everything should b fine as long as you keep on turning the eggs 4-6 times a day. Here is a turning schedule i made for my quail eggs.

I was planning to do three times daily - at wake up, as soon as I get home from work, and just before bed. Unfortunately I probably spend more waking hours at work than I done home

And....... If you are having disco ball effect you can take out one bulb and check if a single bulb can maintain the right temperature. If a single bulb can do the job, you can take out the other one.

I wanted two bulbs in case one fizzled out and I wasn’t at home. However, I did try with one bulb (was impatient waiting for this split extension cord thingie I ordered.) Max temp achieved with one 25 watt was lower 90s Fahrenheit. I could try a higher watt bulb, but again if it fritzes out ...?

I have a bunch of sand in my diybator as a heat sink; I feel like it's helpful to regain normal temperature after I turn and it is a good slow-release moisture substrate.

It’s not going to hurt to have a heat sink, even if I don’t need one, correct? Is there an optimal placement for heat sinks? I could maybe put some sand in the ice cube tray under the bulbs ...?

Make absolute sure that your fan does the job in evening out temperature.

Ooo, good point. Kind of wondering if this little 50mm is going to cut it. Will rearrange the thermo/hygrometers closer and farther from the bulbs.

If you have extra heat generating capacity, a small ventilation hole anywhere on the bottom of the incubator will guarantee sufficient ventilation and then you won't have to worry about that.

Hmm, maybe I could cut a hole toward the bottom in the tote, but not the stryrofoam? Or in the corner of the “window”? (I haven’t taped the styrofoam sheets together)

Styrofoam is notoriously hard to completely disinfect, if there's anywhere the hatching chicks will come into contact with it, can you put something down so that they won't, to protect your future hatches?

They would be in the blue plastic basket thingie, and I was thinking of using generous amounts of the press n’ seal stuff when the time came for lockdown. I saw it recommended to use on top of brooder heat plates to minimize chick mess. Which reminds me - I keep forgetting to grab some when I go to the store!!

I want to share this emergency DIY incubator build that you can use if the power/electricity goes out.

I’ve got to consider this thanks for bringing it up! So far this year, we’ve hardly had any thunderstorms. I don’t have access to an old rice cooker (and Good Will is still closed) but seems anything similar could work. The other issue for me is that if it happens, I’ll probably be at work or sleeping

Make sure you let your shipped eggs sit overnight to stabilize

I know there’s varying schools of thought with how long (if at all) to let shipped eggs settle. With work most likely it will be either overnight (~12 hours) or a day. Would putting them straight in to the incubator sitting upright with no turning/tilting for a day work? To note there will be a sort of settle time of several hours - I am assuming I’ll get the call for pick up at work, get them, then they’ll sit at work and then drive home ~20 min). Should I let them be until I get home since they are still “shipping”, or maybe position upright to let them start to settle?

Good luck and let us know how it come out...

Thank you, will do

 

[Kiraeh]

Yeah as long as your heat sink is sterile, it'll do no harm and maybe some good and that's enough for me. My set up is completely different from yours, but it sounds like those ideas will work. Same with the baskets, I wasn't sure from pictures what was going on there but it's sounds like you've thought it through well enough.

 

[ladybrasa]

Waiting impatiently for the eggs to arrive ...

I did drill four tiny holes at the bottom edge of the “window” closer to the bulbs. I am guessing the rising heat will draw a bit of air in, warm it and the fan will distribute ...

As far as back up for if the power goes off - I can get ahold of a small very thick styrofoam cooler, but I’m not sure how I can get heat in to it. Even boiled water I need electricity to heat the water. I haven’t poked around yet, but is there some sort of battery operated heat pad or heat element or something or other out there?

Also for heat sinks, a rock or two would work, right? Washed up of course. Hadn’t gotten out to get a bag of sand yet (wouldn’t hurt to add more to a dust bath area, not that they are using it anyway ...)

 

[ladybrasa]

So I’ve received two orders of eggs so far and unfortunately the third is being held up in the PO system. Supposed to arrive today, but didn’t and I only have a small window of time tomorrow. One of the received orders were three lavender Orpington eggs and the other was a potluck of 6 rare breeds and sent three extra! The latter, in my inexpert opinion were nice looking and in good shape. Candled first time ever and the latter nine all had small attached air cells with just a tiny bit of shifting and jiggliness. The former three orp eggs however ... large completely detached air cells. Two were, in my inexpert opinion, very dirty, like more than should be. Two also had some dried yellow drops on them, and the only thing I can think of is dribbles of egg yolk. The shells looked too porous, again, from my inexpert opinion. Large air cells mean older eggs right? I’m not very hopeful for these three. I only let them sit upright overnight and popped them in the ‘bater this morning with no turning. Plan on waiting 2-3 days to turn. At that point I’m not sure how to turn - should I rotate in the vertical axis? A shallow tilt side to side?

Also, alarmingly, this evening I swearI saw a gnat fly out of the ‘bator. And maybe one drowned in the humidity water.Unfortunately at night my eyes are having trouble focusing on such tiny things anymore, so I couldn’t 100% say for sure. Also there is a slight ‘off’ odor in there. I would guess that the dirt (or smeared poop!) on the orp eggs are causing the odor and the gnats. I set the 9 egg batch and I’m worried now for their health. I think it’s too soon to say the orp eggs are rotten, correct? Though I don’t think they’ll develop or make it, I’d at least like to give them seven days. I also know you aren’t supposed to clean eggs, but would in this case it be better to do so? I don’t want gnats!!! Those can’t be good! Or a smell. If I need to clean them, how??

And I know pictures would be great, but unfortunately I don’t have three hands🖐🖐🖐 for the candler, egg, and phone. The only image I can put up is a pic of the orp eggs at opening of the box if it would be helpful. Maybe someone can tell me if they are too dirty or acceptable amount. Sorry if that’s a dumb question!

Thanks for any input!

 

[ladybrasa]

Update: I’m fairly certain those ARE gnats. There are now little drowned flecks just below the bulbs. Just like a bug flying around lights. I took out the water holder aka ice cube tray and washed it out. It’s raining outside so the humidity should go up anyway. Where the heck could they come from?? Could there have been gnat eggs on the dirty eggs?? I don’t have gnats in the house. A stray wasp or two, yes. Occasional house fly yes. Haven’t even had fruit flies in the kitchen this year so far. I know I said the diy-bator lid does not tightly close, but I have covered the ‘bator with two towels all the time since I started it up about two weeks ago. While it might be possible for an insect to find its way in, I find it highly unlikely. Kind of a little freaked out

As for the two dirty eggs, I briefly found some series of short videos from a university in Alberta that cleaning an egg with Clorox wipes isn’t the worst thing in the world. So I did it. Still dirty but much improved. Slight bit of peace of mind!

 

[Kiraeh]

Ooff, that's so stressful! Yeah that seems quite dirty, I think you made the right call. There's so many conflicting opinions about washing eggs but idk, I had a very good first hatch with washed eggs. And if nothing else, you've protected the other eggs in the hatch. The orpingtons are so questionable already, it'd be a shame to lose the other eggs that are in better shape over em.

Idk about gnats tho, that is weird but I can't think of how it could do any harm. If you have vent holes, there's a target of moist warm air for bugs to find, I've had the occasional insect- might have been blackflies looking for a body, I didn't check that well.

 

[Quailophilic]

Sorry if that’s a dumb question!

First of all, no question is a dumb question.
Well, I am no expert. But I'll try to tell you all I know.
[/QUOTE]

At that point I’m not sure how to turn - should I rotate in the vertical axis? A shallow tilt side to side?

Mark one side with X and opposite side with O by a led pencil while lying the eggs on their side.then you have to rotate it on horizontal axis.one time there should b X on the top and on mext turning there should be O on the top. In this way you'll know that all eggs have been turned 180°.

Large air cells mean older eggs right? I’m not very hopeful for these three.

Yes it means older wggs. But you should atleast give them a chance.

Also there is a slight ‘off’ odor in there. I would guess that the dirt (or smeared poop!) on the orp eggs are causing the odor and the gnats.

I don't think they should give out any odour.

Though I don’t think they’ll develop or make it, I’d at least like to give them seven days. I also know you aren’t supposed to clean eggs, but would in this case it be better to do so?

Yes you should give them seven days to know if there is any life in them.
You are never supposed to clean the eggs. You should not clean the eggs as it can introduce bacteria and viruses into the egg.
All I say is that you should wait for the eggs to reach day seven(or eight-either day you like)to candle.Untill then keep turning the eggs 4-5times a day.keep humidity higher if you think the air cells are very large. Thats all i can say. There are experts here. They can give you the best opinions. And i wish you good luck.

 

[ladybrasa]

This morning when I opened the ‘bator no gnats and no off odor, so I can only assume it had to do with the dirt on those two eggs. Yeah, I get the impression the gnats were interested in the heat and light and probably didn’t care about the eggs, but they appear gone now!

I know washing is a big no-no, but I felt, as Kiraeh mentioned, that the other eggs were at risk. I do still plan on giving the orp eggs seven days.

If anyone is interested, here’s a link to the first video in a series of 8 short videos from that University I saw. They don’t actually give many specifics, but some interesting tidbits. And “wipe with Clorox wipes, 5 eggs per sheet” was pretty self-explanatory. Also the hatching eggs were separated into groups and those two eggs would’ve been in the “unsettable” pile. The vids were geared toward commercial farms producing hatching eggs, but an egg is an egg. It’s what I came across on the fly anyway, without spending hours poking around the ‘net.

For turning, I was planning on doing the upright tilting method as I figure that might be easier on the air cells. For the orp eggs, their air cells are completely and utterly detached, so I am extremely hesitant to put those on their sides. I thought I read somewhere that you might be able to twist them while sitting upright? Don’t remember where I saw that. That way the air cell would stay up top but the embryo would get some movement? Or is tilting better so the air cell will at least stay in the vicinity of the top. What are the chances of a detached air cell reattaching anyway?

Thanks!

 

[ladybrasa]

Also I received my final order of eggs! Five Mosaic eggs and got one extra. Air cells I think are still fairly small and all seem attached. At least they aren’t rolling around. They do shift some if you tilt the egg. I did attempt to take pics (very carefully!). Are these what are called saddle air cells? Holding the egg upright puts the air cell where it should be. But if you tilt a little the air kind of shifts into like a side pocket (but no further). Is this a concern? The images are of the same egg vertical and a little tilted to try and show what I mean.