GRADUATED FROM A TOASTER OVEN TO A HOVA BATOR

[spiritualmystic]

Last year I didn't have an incubator and I read how some lady hatched a chicken in an electric frying pan (it wasn't on full blast people, tehe). So...I decided to see what I could do with a toaster oven. I hatched two hatches and everything went great. This year, I decided to buy a Hova Bator. I have tried to hatch two sets. Temperature was correct, water level and oxygen was correct (I think!) and I had fully formed chicks and no hatch. I am on my third batch now, and I put them in during the evening time. They should hatch today. I have candled the eggs last week, and took out the ones that looked clear (two of them). So my question is; Should they hatch tonight about the same time I put them in 21 days ago, and if this hatch does not work, do you think something might be wrong with the Hova Bator? Thanks!

 

[AussieSharon]

Did you raise your humidity for the last 3 days? What kind of hova bator is it?

My Grandfather hatched eggs back in the 60's in an electric frypan!

 

[spiritualmystic]

Hi

Thank you for answering. Yep, the humity is there.

 

[Cuban Longtails]

What was/is your humidity currently reading? Temps should be around 100 degrees F.

 

[d.k]

* Wow!!! A toaster oven?? I can't help w/ the bator-- sorry-- but when you get it squared, think you could post exactly how you got chicks from a toaster oven??? PLEASE??

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I'm interested in the electric frying pan method. Sounds interesting to me.

 

[spiritualmystic]

Well, I put the hatch in at 9PM, so will they hatch at 9PM tonight? Also heres the electric frying pan method and the Toaster Oven Method. And...how often do hatches come AFTER the date they are due. Thanks for the help.

Toaster Oven:

Make sure the drip pan that comes with your toaster oven is kept full with "warm water". Turn oven on to warm to preheat unless you have a 100 degree mark on your oven. (Mine started at 200 degrees so I had to put it on warm and adjust it after it warmed up to make sure it stayed at the approx. temp. Keep the toaster oven on warm or close (some may vary), make sure it is 99-101 degrees, max 102, check it periodically. Make sure you turn your eggs at least 3 times a day. Keep the Temperature on the 100 degree mark, if you have it on your toaster oven, if not, warm or slightly higher to reach as close to 100 as you can. Just put a soft cloth over the drip holes, place the eggs on top of it, all eggs in the middle. Put your thermometer on top of the eggs. Be careful when you check the water level. You can take the eggs out for a minute and rinse and fill the tray with warm water, and immediate put them back. This would be a good time to turn your eggs. Make sure you Crack the door for ventilation. Leave it cracked. About 1/8 of an inch. Make sure it is in a secure and not drafty area. On the 21st day, you will see baby chicks popping out of the eggs, so have your brooder ready after a few hours of the first pop. Tehe!

Electric Skillet:

Same way, but put a small wine glass or similar inside in the corner with warm water. If there is a 100 on the dial, keep it there. If not, put it on warm just as above. Make sure to open the little ventilator slide on the top of your Electric skillet. Leave it open for the whole 21 days. Make sure to keep an eye on the babies as they pop out and take out the glass of water when all babies are born.

Good luck everybody. Like any incubator, make sure not to use your expensive stash of eggs, until you perfect it.

I might be going back to the Toaster Oven Method if this hatch dont work out.

 

[twosisters]

I have read several times that eggs can hatch a day or two late. I would not bother them for atleast a day or two.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

I guess it depends on your temps. If they were slightly high they could hatch a day early. If they were slightly low they could hatch a little later.

Good luck!

 

[mamaboyd]

I have a few questions for the toaster oven method: wouldn't putting a cloth in the toaster oven cause a fire? What kind of thermometer do you use? How many eggs can you fit in a regular sized toaster oven, do you have to keep them standing up??

For the electric skillet: do you set the eggs on anything when they are in the frying pan??

This sounds so interesting, I want to try it out before we buy an incubator!!