Experiences with the Hovabator Incubator?

[Smokin Silkies]

Quote:
I got 2 Springfield Digital Thermometer/Hygrometer combos last fall for hatching. I hatched 3 batches? and they worked great! Calibrated them and they came out at a perfect 75%....I now have a batch in the bator and both are not working properly. One calibrated at 64%, the other at 42%....now in the bator they both read 35%?????? I plan on tossing them after this hatch. I was recommended to get the "Spot Check by Brinsea". It is about $20 but is supposed to be one of the best. You can go to brinsea.com and check it out. That will be my next buy, unless somebody recommends something better

I have yet to figure out which thermometer I'll be buying next. I've got no recommendations for that yet. Also, I just used a computer fan and installed it in my Little Giant. It was very simple to do. You don't have to be an electrician. I got my fan for $7 (which was high) versus the extra $30 some dollars?? you'd pay extra to have the fan already installed. Some people can get them for free if you or a friend have an old computer thats junk. You just splice a few wires together and your done! Theres a post on here somewhere with more detail and pics. Try searching it if your interested. It worked better after I installed the fan, but that's my experience.

 

[IggiMom]

Quote:
call me slow if you must...

But I have read and re-read the temp. adjustment part on the Genesis instruction and I have read people here saying adjusting is a nightmare. Was it simple for you to do? mine is at 99 - 99.4 I was feeling that was too low??? Thoughts? How hard is it if I chose to do it?

Believe me, I would never call anyone else slow for not understanding a technical thing right off! I always remember my son, in great frustration, trying to show me on the computer how to do something, and saying, "Mom, I don't understand how someone as smart as you can be so dumb about computers!"

These guys on here who make their OWN incubators, now, they are the smart ones. Not for me, though.

The reason you think it is hard is because it is so darn TINY! It is hard to see. And when I did it, I called Genesis for help, and they must have the worst customer service there could be, because they were no help at all. So, forced to, I did figure it out.

Now, that was last year, but I will try...

I just looked at their instructions, heck, that could make anyone's head swim.

First, be SURE that your thermometer is right!

So you know you really do want to adjust the temp.

Then you turn over the lid. The temperature adjustment is on the underside.

You will see a bank of teeney weeney little switches.

Check to see which one is up; that is the one it is set at.

Take some pointy little thing, like a sharp pencil or a large darning needle, and turn them all to off.

Say your temp was set on '3'.

You have them all turned off, now turn on '4'.

I think that should do it.

I must confess, however, that I took out the Genesis instruction sheet, and read them, and after I read them, my head was swimming.

My gosh, what is the matter with them? I am now afraid that I have told you wrong. I think that is what I did, but does anyone else have their customer service number? I don't see it on my instruction sheet. Or someone else that has done it, because I sure don't want to goof up someone else's incubator or eggs! I'm sorry, I'm wasn't much help.

Catherine

 

[christina_ski]

Where in walmart would I look for the hydrameter? Pet supplies? Pool supplies? Or none of the above lol

 

[IggiMom]

Hardware, among the thermometers. Look for one that has the temp and humidity.

Catherine

 

[Smokin Silkies]

Quote:
The Springfield ones that I got, I had to order from walmart.com. They did not sell them in the stores. I could order from walmart.com and have it delivered to my local walmart for free or delivered to my house....I think I paid $2.00 to have it delivered to my house. I paid $7 for the thermo/hygro.

 

[apsmacart]

I have a hovabator, it just needs cleaned, you could have it if you want to make the arrangements . I never could get better than a 75% hatch rate on quail or chickens (grant you I was just learning about incubation). Last year I bought a used GAF floor model and it is the best thing since sliced bread. I paid 250.00 for it, I found it in the classifieds in a popular magazine.

 

[seminolewind]

Quote:
call me slow if you must...

But I have read and re-read the temp. adjustment part on the Genesis instruction and I have read people here saying adjusting is a nightmare. Was it simple for you to do? mine is at 99 - 99.4 I was feeling that was too low??? Thoughts? How hard is it if I chose to do it?

Believe me, I would never call anyone else slow for not understanding a technical thing right off! I always remember my son, in great frustration, trying to show me on the computer how to do something, and saying, "Mom, I don't understand how someone as smart as you can be so dumb about computers!"

These guys on here who make their OWN incubators, now, they are the smart ones. Not for me, though.

The reason you think it is hard is because it is so darn TINY! It is hard to see. And when I did it, I called Genesis for help, and they must have the worst customer service there could be, because they were no help at all. So, forced to, I did figure it out.

Now, that was last year, but I will try...

I just looked at their instructions, heck, that could make anyone's head swim.

First, be SURE that your thermometer is right!

So you know you really do want to adjust the temp.

Then you turn over the lid. The temperature adjustment is on the underside.

You will see a bank of teeney weeney little switches.

Check to see which one is up; that is the one it is set at.

Take some pointy little thing, like a sharp pencil or a large darning needle, and turn them all to off.

Say your temp was set on '3'.

You have them all turned off, now turn on '4'.

I think that should do it.

I must confess, however, that I took out the Genesis instruction sheet, and read them, and after I read them, my head was swimming.

My gosh, what is the matter with them? I am now afraid that I have told you wrong. I think that is what I did, but does anyone else have their customer service number? I don't see it on my instruction sheet. Or someone else that has done it, because I sure don't want to goof up someone else's incubator or eggs! I'm sorry, I'm wasn't much help.

Catherine

Talk about confusing-I followed the instructions on the 1588 at the website. My temps were a solid 99.5, then yesterday and today climbed to 101. I think the eggs start to give off alot of heat. So I flipped the thing upside down, the instructions said to turn all the toggles off. Then to go down by .5-1 degree, flip #1 on, then flip #s 5,6,7,8 on, and leave it. Now my temps are great again, 99.7 after 2 hours.

I've heard 3 different versions of changing the temp now. Why is that?

 

[Little Cluckers]

I have a hovabator genesis. My step-daughter has the still air version. I would say, between the two, you will have better luck hatching something with the genesis. Unless you have a SUPER stable room temperature. I am convinced that is a big part of it. When I first started using mine, it was during the fall, and the day and night temps in the room I was using were big swings. So, I put a small heater in the room to keep it more even (and we ended up with a $370 electric bill--but I digress....

) and I found the temp in the incubator did not fluccuate so much and I started getting actual chicks hatching!

 

[IggiMom]

Lil' cluckers :

I have a hovabator genesis. My step-daughter has the still air version. I would say, between the two, you will have better luck hatching something with the genesis. Unless you have a SUPER stable room temperature. I am convinced that is a big part of it. When I first started using mine, it was during the fall, and the day and night temps in the room I was using were big swings. So, I put a small heater in the room to keep it more even (and we ended up with a $370 electric bill--but I digress....

) and I found the temp in the incubator did not fluccuate so much and I started getting actual chicks hatching!

Oh, gracious. You know, that is the sort of thing I hate to think about. If you figure in the cost of the eggs, and shipping, and the incubator, and then your $370 electric bill--and I'll bet ours is up too, same reason--and then not all eggs are going to hatch on shipped eggs, more than likely, and wow. You could get the chicks up to $25/chick, or thereabouts.

Or more.

I hope my husband doesn't catch on to this.

Catherine​

 

[seminolewind]

When I had a still air, I would put a regular bulb lamp aimed towards it, and adjust the lamp. I had more stable temps that way. Another thing I've done is cover the top of it with bubble wrap. The window at the top is where all the heat is going.