Frustrated new hatcher

[livin-green]

Okay, here's the deal. I set my eggs yesterday afternoon at about 2:30pm. I have the standard still-air LG with an auto. turner. Everything was going great yesterday--a few issues with temp. stabilization, but as of the a 4am check everything was stable--temp. right about 100deg. and humidity at 40'ish.

When I got up and checked again around 8:30-9:00am, the thermometer on the little plastic sheet had fallen in between the egg trays and was wedged. I had to open the bator to pull it out, so I rechecked in about 30min. About an hour later I checked again, and the trays were in the exact same position. So, I opened the bator again and felt the motor on the auto. turner tray--it was burning hot. I unplugged it for an hour and tried it again. Still nothing....we hand-turned the eggs about an hour ago.

What do you guys think--get a new auto. turner and transfer the eggs over as soon as possible? Or just hand turn them for the next 17 days? I'm concerned that opening the bator that much is going to cause problems.

Oddly enough, the temp. was right on even when the motor was over-heating...??? After I unplugged the turner the temp. dropped about 4 deg. I'm working to get it back up to 100 now. Do you think all these temp. fluctuations this early in the incubation will be okay?!?!

Are all first-time hatchers crazy, anxious basket-cases?!? Or is it just me?

 

[chickedydoodaa]

You could get a new motor for the turner. In the meantime hand turn them until you repair the turner.

 

[livin-green]

Thanks for the reply! I'm not sure where I can get a replacement motor around here--I'll probably have to order it, making it a week or more before I can get it.

Plus, what will I do with the incubating eggs while I'm replacing the motor?

Maybe just hand-turning for this hatch would be the safest option.

 

[chickedydoodaa]

yes just hand turn them and they will be fine, do not worry, 3 times a day.

I saw some motors for sale on ebay

 

[livin-green]

Update: I turned my eggs by hand for the first day, and then decided to just give the auto. turner one more chance. I guess I jumped the gun on my first assumption that the motor had burned up....it's working fine now. Been checking about a dozen times a day, but it seems to be turning fine.

However, I did notice that the motor still gets awfully hot. I put some air-tubing into the air hole right above the motor and connected it to a small aquarium air-pump that I have. I also moved all the eggs to the far side of the incubator, and my temp's seem to be more even. Before, the eggs closer to the motor were getting 2-3 degrees warmer than the ones on the far side. This way they are all in the same temp. range--yea!!

Wish me luck--thanks for your advice. If this hatch goes well and we decide to do some more, I think we will invest in a higher-end bator....I'm still worried about getting that humidity up during those last 3-5 days.