Harris Farms Nurture Right 360 Incubator is AMAZING!

[CluckNDoodle]

I went and purchased one yesterday and returned it today. Good looking machine but it would not hold a stable temp.

You may have gotten a faulty one. That's not typical.

 

[aart]

You may have gotten a faulty one. That's not typical.

Could be.

I went and purchased one yesterday and returned it today. Good looking machine but it would not hold a stable temp.

@gatrapper How did the temps vary?
Did you give it time to stabilize after adjusting?

 

[jasonvanorder]

So I’m sure this has been discussed but just wondering how everyone cleans their incubator after a hatch? The last two times I have taken the base and sprayed out and bits of shell that fell through without getting water in the turner port. Then wipe it down with disinfectant wipes then rinse. The top I just wipe down with the wipes and let air dry. The rack and turner I wash in regular soap and water. The assemble and run for 24 hours or so

 

[EmmaRainboe]

Ordered my NR360 yesterday! Should be here Monday! Though I’ve had some setbacks and won’t be able to give it a shot till August.

Guess it gives me time to give it a test run and get to know it first.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

So I’m sure this has been discussed but just wondering how everyone cleans their incubator after a hatch? The last two times I have taken the base and sprayed out and bits of shell that fell through without getting water in the turner port. Then wipe it down with disinfectant wipes then rinse. The top I just wipe down with the wipes and let air dry. The rack and turner I wash in regular soap and water. The assemble and run for 24 hours or so

I use diluted bleach water to clean, then wipe it down with clean water, then dry.

 

[WallyG74]

The dome top style is the newest one and that's mostly what you're going to find for sale. Otherwise you can look at the instructions and the model number is in the top right corner of the instructions. They didn't make huge changes between version 2-4, it's stuff like the letters are in the plastic rather than a sticker on the reservoir.

The number in top right of my instructions is 1.0NU. I bought mine at TSC in January this year.

 

[Pullety]

Hey, a couple more humidity questions:

1. I’m making humidity adjustments based on measuring weight change directly with a kitchen scale. I’m using a formula that provides an acceptable range to compare to the current actual weight. I’m wondering if you guys used this formula before getting comfortable with gauging weight loss by air cell change and, is there an ideal point within the range. Like, should I shoot right for the middle? Or is a bit high (or a bit low) better at the point of lockdown? Or is does it really not matter? I seem to be able to fine tune it fairly easily. This weight change monitoring isn’t stressing me; I like it.

The formula for expected weight range at any point in incubation
W - (0.0057 × D × W) and W - (0.0067 × D × W), where W = starting weight and D = days of incubation.

2. So do people delay a humidity increase a day or two (or until first external pip) to adjust the air cell size a bit if humidity has been too high? Or is it just less work not having to keep the humidity up for so many days? Or something else?

Thanks!!
By the way, it turns out that two of the seven eggs I thought were goners on day 9 actually have a live chick inside. That feels better. So 13/19 are still developing on day 15.

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Hey, a couple more humidity questions:

1. I’m making humidity adjustments based on measuring weight change directly with a kitchen scale. I’m using a formula that provides an acceptable range to compare to the current actual weight. I’m wondering if you guys used this formula before getting comfortable with gauging weight loss by air cell change and, is there an ideal point within the range. Like, should I shoot right for the middle? Or is a bit high (or a bit low) better at the point of lockdown? Or is does it really not matter? I seem to be able to fine tune it fairly easily. This weight change monitoring isn’t stressing me; I like it.

The formula for expected weight range at any point in incubation
W - (0.0057 × D × W) and W - (0.0067 × D × W), where W = starting weight and D = days of incubation.

2. So do people delay a humidity increase a day or two (or until first external pip) to adjust the air cell size a bit if humidity has been too high? Or is it just less work not having to keep the humidity up for so many days? Or something else?

Thanks!!
By the way, it turns out that two of the seven eggs I thought were goners on day 9 actually have a live chick inside. That feels better. So 13/19 are still developing on day 15.

Measuring weight is a great way to learn about humidity and adjust accordingly. You would normally start weighing before you set the eggs, did you?

I did a little project with one of my Silkie hatches last year to show the comparison of weight loss percentage to the visible change in air cell size. Other than the infertile egg this was a 100% hatch so it's a great example.

Before I post all of the numbers, to answer your other question, yes, there's no harm in waiting to increase humidity. Just stop turning the eggs by day 18 and you could wait until day 19-20 or until you see the first pip to increase the humidity. I personally don't like to wait longer than day 20 because there are almost certainly internal pips if not some sneaky external pips by then.

• Eggs should lose 11-13% during first 18 days of incubation
• Between 0.6-0.7% per day average

- Measured final weight loss as 8am on day 18

Egg 1 – Day (0) 37 grams – Day (7) 36 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 33 grams – LOST 10.81%

Egg 2 – Day 0 – 37 grams - INFERTILE

Egg 3 – Day (0) 37 grams – Day (7) 35 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 33 grams – LOST 10.81%

Egg 4 – Day (0) 39 grams – Day (7) 37 grams – Day (15) 35 grams – Day (18) 35 grams – LOST 10.25%

Egg 5 – Day (0) 37 grams – Day (7) 36 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 33 grams – LOST 10.81%

Egg 6 – Day (0) 39 grams – Day (7) 38 grams – Day (15) 36 grams – Day (18) 35 grams – LOST 10.25%

Egg 7 – Day (0) 39 grams – Day (7) 36 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 34 grams – LOST 12.82%

Egg 8 – Day (0) 38 grams – Day (7) 37 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 33 grams – LOST 13.15%

Egg 9 – Day (0) 39 grams – Day (7) 38 grams – Day (15) 36 grams – Day (18) 35 grams – LOST 10.25%

Egg 10 – Day (0) 38 grams – Day (7) 36 grams – Day (15) 35 grams – Day (18) 34 grams – LOST 10.52%

Egg 11 – Day (0) 34 grams – Day (7) 33 grams – Day (15) 30 grams – Day (18) 29 grams – LOST 11.76%

Egg 12 – Day (0) 39 grams – Day (7) 37 grams – Day (15) 34 grams – Day (18) 34 grams – LOST 12.82%

 

[aart]

I post all of the numbers

Another good article candidate!

 

[CluckNDoodle]

Another good article candidate!

Thank you! I probably will eventually! I had actually fully intended to do this with a standard size chicken egg, turkey eggs, and goose eggs, so that I could put together a nice article but I got busy, lol. You know how it goes. I was supposed to do a side by side incubator comparison when I had a bunch of incubators too. I swear I have the best of intentions and then time runs away from me!