Eggs are in Bator!

[rosco]

~4:30AM, 12/09/2009, forteen eggs were placed in incubator.
20 days is very early December 29th; 22 days is very early New's Day.

This is a one shot deal as our hens saw a rooster for the last time 2.5 weeks ago.

Thank you to all those who helped me get stable conditions in this Bator!

Rosco & "Elma Fudd"

 

[MuranoFarms]

Good luck!

 

[rosco]

New dilema,


Thank you Muranofarms.

the handle i've contrapted to turn the eggs has separated from the basket. is it okay to open the bator and tighten the cable ties and hot glue the handle back onto the basket?

Rosco

 

[pedro24]

hope you get some chicks

 

[dovecanyon]

Sure, open it and work as fast as possible. Otherwise you will have to open it several times a day to turn the eggs by hand.
Hot glue will probably keep coming loose from the heat in the bator.

 

[rosco]

Quote:
Thank you Pedro24!

Dovecanyon, it seemed to me the hot glue wouldn't also. Sooo - quickly, i opened the incubator, threw a towel over the eggs; tightened the cable ties; put much more hot glue on the handle/basket junction; and jury rigged the bator to allow for turning w/o using the handle - simply tying wire to the basket in three places, running them through the lid and tying onto a paint stirrer. In picture below, the paint stirrer up and paint stirrer down will be the two positions of egg rotation:

I also put a piece of tin foil on top of the bowl of water (with water soaked sponge). this will hopefully lower the high humidity of 65% i saw before opening the bator at 12hours incubation.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

 

[rosco]

Quote:
Hello! i've been told turning twice per day is adequate. is regularity important? ex: if i turn them every four hours and don't over an eight hour period, will this be of consequence?

 

[geosheets]

Quote:
Hello! i've been told turning twice per day is adequate. is regularity important? ex: if i turn them every four hours and don't over an eight hour period, will this be of consequence?

I shoot for keeping an equal amount of time on both sides.

 

[dovecanyon]

Good job! Very clever idea for the emergency repair.
I turn my eggs every 3-4 hours from 7am to 11pm. They don't get turned while I'm sleeping... unless I wake up for some reason, then I'll get up and give them a quick turn. How is your humidity looking now? Sounds like you have everything under control for now. Good luck for a great hatch!