Farm innovations 4250 incubator

[Grandma Buswalk]

. Did you hatch before using a different incubator?

No, I'm a complete rookie at incubation. I had good friends that talked me through our first try. I did study the 4250 a good bit, though.

You were very supportive, thank you. I've learned that the thermostat on my FI is not accurate. This new thermometer records minimum and maximum. The minimum dropped to 97.1. I would not have known that if not for this new thermometer. I've reset the thermostat and if the temperature gets too high in the daytime I will remove one or more of the plugs. So far I've been able to control the temperature. I'm hoping for a better hatch this time.

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

Today I set another bunch of eggs. This is my third hatch. I purchased a thermometer from Amazon that has been scientifically calibrated. I am pretty sure that the thermometer on the FI is accurate. I'm so glad my neighbor wants more chickens, that gives me more opportunities to hatch them. I don't know what went wrong with the last hatch so I'm open to help and opinions.

Hey grandma! I'm setting a bunch either tonight or tomorrow, too. We can have our own hatch-a-long!

Have you set your eggs yet?

 

[abbevilleoz]

Have you set your eggs yet?

Have you set your eggs yet?

Set 16 EE eggs, 10 Silkie eggs, and one Silkie cross yesterday (I added a fresh Silkie egg today). I've kept as many as four thermometers and three hygrometers in at one time. My wife pokes fun at me!
I've sat and watched the incubator and I think I've figured it out. The temp will briefly spike when the thermostat kicks the heater on. The fan pushes the heated air to the eggs which causes the brief spike. Mine seems pretty accurate but I know many folk have to adjust their setting.

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

Have you set your eggs yet?

Have you set your eggs yet?

Set 16 EE eggs, 10 Silkie eggs, and one Silkie cross yesterday (I added a fresh Silkie egg today). I've kept as many as four thermometers and three hygrometers in at one time. My wife pokes fun at me!
I've sat and watched the incubator and I think I've figured it out. The temp will briefly spike when the thermostat kicks the heater on. The fan pushes the heated air to the eggs which causes the brief spike. Mine seems pretty accurate but I know many folk have to adjust their setting.

Wow, that's an impressive array of eggs. Are the EE's good layers? You seem to have your thermostat figured out. Mine dips at night. So I adjust it up at night and back down in the morning. With this new thermometer it only varies less than one degree. I'm sure hoping this makes a difference in the total number of eggs hatched.

 

[abbevilleoz]

Wow, that's an impressive array of eggs. Are the EE's good layers? You seem to have your thermostat figured out. Mine dips at night. So I adjust it up at night and back down in the morning. With this new thermometer it only varies less than one degree. I'm sure hoping this makes a difference in the total number of eggs hatched.

I don't think temporary spikes and drops have too much of an effect as long as they are not extreme. Unless your using an infra red thermometer we are just measuring air temps around the egg. And, the hen will leave the nest for minutes at a time so brooded eggs have temp drops.
BTW: I'm going to be a grandpa! Our oldest daughter and her husband are expecting with a due date of next February.

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

hello new at this started using a f I 4250 I'm on count down 12 used candler last nite  can make out eyes lol .  How ever my digital temp showed 102  and the manual showed 96 this morning    the readings have allways been off but only by 1.5 deg  and the humidity has been good 55% to 65%   the normal reading is 101 and 99.5 at egg level it back to normal now any 1 else had a spike like this ??  am I on the right track with incubator ?

Did you get your problems with the incubator resolved?

 

[ahimsajenn]

Mine is TERRIBLE....temp spikes all over the place and very hard to adjust. I am only having about 45-50 percent hatch rates and sometimes none if there is a bad temp spike. I am in the process of trying to return mine .... its heart brekaing to get chicks almost ot theend and have them croak. My advice says don't by it.

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

Mine is TERRIBLE....temp spikes all over the place and very hard to adjust.  I am only having about 45-50 percent hatch rates and sometimes none if there is a bad temp spike.  I am in the process of trying to return mine .... its heart brekaing to get chicks almost ot theend and have them croak.  My advice says don't by it. 

. That sounds like quite a problem. Have you been able to return it?

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

Yesterday was the 17th day of my current hatch. I put them into lockdown and within a few hours I had two hatch. I'm impressed with this new thermometer that I bought from Amazon. I can't imagine having to deal with severe temperature fluctuations. My FI hasn't had that problem. It's going to be interesting to see if my hatch rate is better this time.

 

[Grandma Buswalk]

Mine is TERRIBLE....temp spikes all over the place and very hard to adjust.  I am only having about 45-50 percent hatch rates and sometimes none if there is a bad temp spike.  I am in the process of trying to return mine .... its heart brekaing to get chicks almost ot theend and have them croak.  My advice says don't by it. 

How long have you had your incubator? I too had about 50 percent hatch rate on my first two hatches. I'm glad I discovered that the thermometer I was going by was faulty.