Forced Air Hova Bator Incubator Questions & Tips?

[MiMis_Place]

HI All BYC'Rs!

I have two Hova Bators and one Little Giant incubator. I use the forced air for starting my eggs, the still air for lockdown, and the Little Giant for drying and letting the babies get their legs working good. The Little Giant has a fan in it too.

I've done about three maybe four hatches in the forced air. The instructions say set the temp for 99* which I have done. My still air is set at 101* per instructions for hatching eggs. I've noticed that my eggs take 2 to 3 days longer to hatch out doing this. I think it is because the 99* is slowing down the growing process. I also think that some of my babies aren't hatching because of this. So far I've always took them out on the 18th day and put them in lockdown. Then it takes up to five days before they start hatching! I think some of the babies may be dieing in the shell from missing that extra two days of turning?

What experiences/tips do some of you'll have using the Hova Bator incubater with the fan?

I plan to try 101* in the forced air the next time I hatch eggs and see what the outcome is.

Thanks to all!

 

[MiMis_Place]

I just have to share a couple of my pics of a couple of chicks that hatched from my Lav. roo and showgirl hen.

I set eight eggs. I ended up with four babies. One showgirl and three silkies. I had two more that started pipping but died. (During the night some babies that hatched rolled them over and they appeared to drown in the shell.

One was another showgirl

But I ended up with four cute babies! (I've only took pics of the first two so far.)

The first two pics are of my little showgirl!

The next two are of my little silkie

and the last they are both setting in my grandaughters hands.

(I'll take some pics of all of them in a day or two and post them here.)

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

101 in the ones with a fan wont hurt at all but I think you have a off thermometer. 101 in a still air an 99.5 in a forced air should hatch with in a day or so of each other.

 

[MiMis_Place]

I thought that too. So when I started that last batch I went and bought a new thermometer. I also marked it with a N and tested it against three of my others. They all read the same!

I guess next time I'll put all of my thermometers in when starting up and see what they say.

I have about eight of them not counting the digital ones.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I have a 1588 Model Genesis Hova-Bator that has the Auto-Turns. ( Quail & Chicken ) and I will be able to tell you my hatch rates Tuesday ( Tomorrow ) Wednesday, Friday, and Monday.

So far it has never gone down on 'temp. When I open the 'bator to candle eggs it goes down some but goes right back up very quickly. I would say use your Hova-Bator to hatch in and then once they pip/zip/hatch then I'd put them either in the other Hova-Bator or your LG to let them fluff up in.

Do you have pictures of your incubators? Are you Hova-Bators the same, or different models? Do they have two small windows on top?

 

[MiMis_Place]

Both of my Hova bators are the same. Just one doesn't have the fan. (The fan quit working.) I've found that my humidity stays up better without the fan. The fan seems to make the water evaporate faster. I have a turner in the one with the fan for the first 18 days, and then lay them on their side in the other to get positioned for hatching.

I do have plenty of turners. (More of them than incubators now. Because I did have 8 incubators until I decided I didn't need that many I tried leaving them in a turner in the upright position but that didn't seem to help either.

My temps go back up quick too. I really think it's because of the 99* for the forced air. I'd hatch some more eggs now if I hadn't promised my husband not to incubate all winter long again I can't hardly wait for spring so I can start again!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Maybe (

) he'll change his mind!!!

 

[MiMis_Place]

I don't think so. Last year we had a big ice storm and it knocked out the electricity for us a little over a week! (We were lucky, others was without for up to a mo. or more!) We had to run our little generator round the clock.

Filling it up every three and half to four hours

because of my incubators.

Cost a fortune.

IF hadn't been for them we wouldn't have had to run it except when we wanted water (well), or to watch tv.

So, I promised.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Oh...yah, that might be a problem!
Well Spring is only about two months away so!