EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs

[Wickedchicken6]

Hey y’all I just bought a 150qt chest cooler to make a bigger incubator. I will have 2 bulbs going in this incubator and I’m unsure on bulb placement and # of fans needed. Any advice is appreciated

What were you thinking of placement? Is the incubator sitting upright with the lid up? Or on the side or end?

 

[AlleysChicks]

What were you thinking of placement? Is the incubator sitting upright with the lid up? Or on the side or end?

Hi it will be flat like this

Humidity trays in bottom under a wire floor. I also will be putting a window in the lid. I’m thinking the 2 lights on the back long wall?

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Hi it will be flat like this
View attachment 1197301
Humidity trays in bottom under a wire floor. I also will be putting a window in the lid. I’m thinking the 2 lights on the back long wall?

I put my two lights on the back wall as well...low enough not to melt the lid...but as high as I could. I have the fan at one end blowing across the lights to circulate the air. I do find it can be a cool spot just under and slightly in front of the fan. I'm replacing the fan I had with a computer fan with the hopes it won't be blowing as hard and it won't create a cold spot.

This is my set up. I tried to keep it simple for easy cleanup. That's the fan I'll be replacing. The floor is false with a pan I can add water to for humidity.

I do wonder if my next incubator would be better if I had the fan in the center of the lid blowing upwards so the air would circle up, across the top and down the sides to be circulated upwards again.

I've also seen a cooler incubator that SallySunshine made where it's on it's end and it's equipped with trays for the eggs that can tilt.

 

[AlleysChicks]

I put my two lights on the back wall as well...low enough not to melt the lid...but as high as I could. I have the fan at one end blowing across the lights to circulate the air. I do find it can be a cool spot just under and slightly in front of the fan. I'm replacing the fan I had with a computer fan with the hopes it won't be blowing as hard and it won't create a cold spot.

This is my set up. I tried to keep it simple for easy cleanup. That's the fan I'll be replacing. The floor is false with a pan I can add water to for humidity.

View attachment 1197313

I do wonder if my next incubator would be better if I had the fan in the center of the lid blowing upwards so the air would circle up, across the top and down the sides to be circulated upwards again.

I've also seen a cooler incubator that SallySunshine made where it's on it's end and it's equipped with trays for the eggs that can tilt.

Thank you that’s actually what I had been thinking of. I want to keep it as clean as possible inside. And simple lol

What about having the fan across from the lights blowing toward them? Wonder if that would move the air all the way around?

I seen her cabinet cooler! I love it but not sure about what I’d do for hatching.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Thank you that’s actually what I had been thinking of. I want to keep it as clean as possible inside. And simple lol

What about having the fan across from the lights blowing toward them? Wonder if that would move the air all the way around?

I seen her cabinet cooler! I love it but not sure about what I’d do for hatching.

That could likely work, especially since you have such a lovely huge cooler. (Envious)

With mine...my space is limited and I was worried a fan at the front would take up too much space especially when moving items in and out. I've learned to stack mine with trays to incubate more eggs. You should have ample room for incubating/hatching out in there.

The fans I will be using now are very thin and won't take up near as much room. As far as the air, you don't need it moved much. I think the fan's job is to help stabilize a constant temperature throughout the entire incubator and eliminate cold spots.

 

[BantyChooks]

Hey y’all I just bought a 150qt chest cooler to make a bigger incubator. I will have 2 bulbs going in this incubator and I’m unsure on bulb placement and # of fans needed. Any advice is appreciated

What wicked said. Can elaborate more in morning, here's my set-up:

 

[AlleysChicks]

That could likely work, especially since you have such a lovely huge cooler. (Envious)

With mine...my space is limited and I was worried a fan at the front would take up too much space especially when moving items in and out. I've learned to stack mine with trays to incubate more eggs. You should have ample room for incubating/hatching out in there.

The fans I will be using now are very thin and won't take up near as much room. As far as the air, you don't need it moved much. I think the fan's job is to help stabilize a constant temperature throughout the entire incubator and eliminate cold spots.

It was on sale lol I may play around with fan location before I install it. I have all winter after all lol

What wicked said. Can elaborate more in morning, here's my set-up:
View attachment 1197346

Thanks Banty!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

It was on sale lol I may play around with fan location before I install it. I have all winter after all lol

Very nice!

With my sterilite incubator, I hung strips of paper towel, string would likely work too...to show the airflow inside.

 

[AlleysChicks]

Very nice!

With my sterilite incubator, I hung strips of paper towel, string would likely work too...to show the airflow inside.

That’s a fantastic idea!

 

[Faraday40]

Today's day 21 & no pips or peeping yet. (Yes, it's a crazy time to hatch, but I had a very stubborn little broody.) Eggs were left for long periods on some pretty cold days, but when candled, they were showing good development. There's not much to do but wait it out & see what happens.

Meanwhile...... The joys of being a kid:

DH brought home a stack of left over wrapping paper from an office move. The kids quickly put it to good use with all sorts of fun posters & crafts.


Also, on Sat night we went to our town's Christmas season kick off. They have a night parade, lighting of the Christmas tree, free cookies & hot cocoa, visits with Santa, pet the reindeer, and all sorts of music. DD was playing in her school's chime choir.