freak incubator death? anyone had this happen?

[hatchaholic]

I'm on my 4th hatch. These are my banty cochin eggs, so I am really excited. When I went to bed, 3 of 6 had already hatched (day 20). I woke up and decided to come check the other eggs. One had hatched, but couldn't see the chick...

I turned on the light and saw that it had somehow fallen UNDER the screen in my genesis 1588!!! Poor baby was laying in the bottom of the bator, dead.

The screen had popped up in one of the corners. Never had this happen before....

Has this happened to anyone else? Do you do anything special to hold the screen down? My DH has never liked my using that screen in there....

 

[eggchel]

wow, Im sorry, what a bummer to find a chick like that. Perhaps some small weights on the corners or some kind of cross bracing?

Chel

 

[Jamie821]

I use thumb tacks to keep my down had it happen and luckily caught it before anything happened but someone on heres chick did that and drowned in the water in the channels. So I thumb tack mine down in each corner

 

[Cason]

Yeah, I've had that happen- and it's an issue that Hobavator needs to address. I keep mine down with paper clips.

 

[halo]

Ive had that happen also. I put paper towels over the screen, and the corners that pop up, thats where I put the humidity....thing (Im brain dead this morning, cant think of the name

) and on the other corner that pops up, I put a little tiny bowl with water and a paper towel in it for humidity. Takes care of the problem for me.

 

[Buster]

Thumbtacks or paperclips are great ideas! I've wondered about the same thing myself. Thanks guys!

 

[hatchaholic]

Thanks, ya'll. I felt so horribly bad when I found it last night. I just wish I would have thought about the possibility ahead of time...I'm sorry ya'll had the same experience, but I'm also glad to know that I'm not the only one.

I will definately be finding some thumb tacks before I set my next eggs next week!

 

[CountryMom]

We used that blue painter's tape to hold down the edges. Had that happen on our quail hatches this summer. Lost a few unfortunately. I will set up my hatcher that way from now on.

 

[jvls1942]

yup, especially with quail..

I just bent the screen down along all four edges slightly about an inch in from the edges.. that makes the screen edges stiffer and harder to lift.. and the edges sort of dig into the styrofoam making a better seal.. haven't had a drowning for years, now..

remember, these incubators are yours once you buy them.. don't be afraid to modify them to suit your needs.. I have 8 of the styro ones and there is not a one that is factory fresh.. I have holes plugged and others drilled, automatic waterers and improved thermostats..

.......jiminwisc........

 

[hatchaholic]

Jim - I had the edges turned down and kinda "dug" into the bator a little. I thought that would hold it, but apparently I didn't do a good enough job...

I really appreciate all the good advice, everybody!! Thanks!