First-Timer

[WVduckchick]

Hi! Welcome to the duck world

Which incubator did you get? Most are notoriously wrong, so please get some additional meters and calibrate/verify them. Temperature is a huge factor, and must be accurate. It can fluctuate a little, but it needs to be in the right ballpark.

What type of ducks?? I'm excited for you, best of luck!

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick the eggs will be Ancona ducks

 

[WVduckchick]

@WVduckchick the eggs will be Ancona ducks

Ooooooh! Beauties!

 

[littlecollier]

@WVduckchick

Since we only plan to hatch one group of eggs, we wanted something small - Price was also a considerable factor.

I tried finding nicer used models in town on Craigslist and the classifieds, but no luck. Ended up with a reasonably priced machine from Amazon (I know, everyone advised against this!) and bought a separate hygrometer with a probe to try to determine the true temp and humidity.

The incubator is reading a lower temp than the hygrometer shows. For right now, I’m trusting the separate probe and adjusting the machine down so we are in a better range.

We plan to set the eggs next Thursday night so I have some time to get it settled and understand the temp and humidity better.

Crossing my fingers!

 

[littlecollier]

@WVduckchick Sorry, couldn't link when on the mobile BYC site.

Inexpensive model with best Amazon ratings (though obviously far from perfect): http://a.co/gh7iaYu

Reasonably priced hygrometer with probe: http://a.co/1tyJwWu

 

[WVduckchick]

Don't blame you for getting what suits your purpose. But yes, I would trust the external meters rather than the unit. Hopefully they aren't too far apart!

Ok, so you should be able to test that thermometer by making an ice bath and dipping the probe in it. Put some ice in a bowl or large glass, or whatever. Add just enough water to cover the ice. Let it sit for just a minute, stir a little, dip the probe and see how close to 32° it comes. It may not read exact, this isn't the greatest test, and doesn't exactly compare to 100° incubation temp either, but it should give you an idea if the meter is close or way off. Usually the reptile ones are fairly accurate.

 

[littlecollier]

Great! I'll try that - I've also seen the magic salt-and-a-ziplock-bag test mentioned for testing humidity accuracy. Is that real? I don't understand the science behind it (but that's not saying much, science was never my forte!)

Is it normal to be hovering around 35% even with added water and sponges? I imagined it would be higher. I'm also thinking part of the issue might be the fact that in the end, it's an empty machine.

I'm hoping that once we have a few eggs resting in there the readings will be closer to what I'm aiming for and more consistent since there will be some mass to hold heat and maybe a bit of moisture.

Thanks again @WVduckchick

 

[WVduckchick]

You are very much welcome

Yes the salt test does work! Its a scientific fact that "salt slurry" should (at proper conditions) be 75% relative humidity, so actually that test is more precise than the ice baths or even boiling water for temperature tests.

If you added water and sponges and it only reads 35%, I definitely highly doubt that reading. I would guess closer to 60% or more

 

[littlecollier]

Sounds like I've got a good deal of testing/calibrating to do!

While I have your ear ... I'm curious about heat sources for our brooder.

We have a giant tub (similar to this one - https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-...orage-tote-gray-with-green-latch/-/A-14757141) which I plan to line with beach towels. (Unless you have other suggestions, of course!)

I'm a little worried about flammability/melting (since this will be indoors at first, in our garage as they get older) and to be honest the idea of a heat lamp makes me pretty nervous. I've researched the ceramic heat emitters, but those also get incredibly hot ...

Have any of you used the Brinsea brooder? http://www.brinsea.com/p-375-ecoglow-20-chick-brooder.aspx

They're expensive, but not worrying about a burnt duckling or coming home to a fire is appealing to me.

 

[WVduckchick]

Sounds like I've got a good deal of testing/calibrating to do!

While I have your ear ... I'm curious about heat sources for our brooder.

We have a giant tub (similar to this one - https://www.target.com/p/sterilite-...orage-tote-gray-with-green-latch/-/A-14757141) which I plan to line with beach towels. (Unless you have other suggestions, of course!)

I'm a little worried about flammability/melting (since this will be indoors at first, in our garage as they get older) and to be honest the idea of a heat lamp makes me pretty nervous. I've researched the ceramic heat emitters, but those also get incredibly hot ...

Have any of you used the Brinsea brooder? http://www.brinsea.com/p-375-ecoglow-20-chick-brooder.aspx

They're expensive, but not worrying about a burnt duckling or coming home to a fire is appealing to me.

I use a clear plastic tote about that size for the first several days. I love (LOVE!) the Brinsea brooder plate, but at the moment, have too many brooders going! So my brooder plate is outside with my 4-week olds, because we've been getting so cold overnight.

This year I decided to try some ceramic emitter bulbs too, and I'm actually loving them. The good thing is they don't put off light, so like with the Brinsea plate, they learn nighttime darkness. Lights out! Chicks go to sleep.
I ordered a couple of these, and they are doing great, just using them with standard poultry hoods. The one thing that I actually like "better" about them over the brooder plates is that you can watch the babies better. I'm always peeking under the plate to make sure they aren't squished or dead. And that they all move about, the way they are supposed to.



I have the poultry hood just inside the rim of the top of the tote, maybe a couple inches away from the end and one corner, and its not even close to melting or hurting the tub. (the tote is next to a shelf in the room, and the light is clamped to the shelf)

The other sweet side-benefit -- pictures without big REG glow, and you don't even have to turn it off to take the red out!

Also check out Premier1 brooder plates. They are a little more economical than Brinsea's, and their larger sizes are even more so!

You can also check out the "mama heating pad" setup, if you are so inclined. It uses a regular heating pad, and the chicks crawl under it. There are a few threads here about them. I haven't tried it, but its another option.