Help Required in Incubating!

[princewahaj]

Dear Friends,

I want your help in this case, I live in Pakistan and there is a huge electricity problem, so my question is that, can other things like CANDLE LIGHT used in incubator? (For Heating Purpose)? I will try a homemade incubator, just wondering and seeking for any suggestions from fellow friends.

If you have any suggestion, let me know?

Electricity (load shedding) unavailability is 6 hours in 24 hours. with 2 hours interval means 3 times unavailablity for 2 hours each!

I will be very thankful if anyone can give a suggestion to me and answering me!

Thank You guys and Keep It Up with your incubating and hatching eggs, I wish everyone to have a nice day.

 

[five is my dog]

i would use a heating pad if you can. just make sure humidity is up. if not you can use a spray battle to sprits the air around them. just do that like every 30 min.

 

[sumi]

Here are some incubation techniques that requires no electricity at all. It may be easier for you if the electricity is so unreliable where you live:

http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd24/1/sumy24010.htm

I haven't tried these methods myself, but it seems to work quite well.

 

[princewahaj]

Dear Respected Seniors,

Please let me know that, Can i use Candles to give them heat? All i need to do is to just set the temperature and humidity?

and Second question, I have electricity in my home 16 hours a day, so if i open my homemade incubator with 25 watt bulb for 16 hours daily, so will it works or all eggs will be voided?

 

[princewahaj]

Bump! Anyone reply please! I need help!

 

[five is my dog]

candles may work

 

[princewahaj]

candles may work

Thank you mate!

I will try it out.

Let me know one thing that, If the eggs are 15 days old, so can it used in incubating? and If the eggs are washed, so can we use it in incubating?

It is my first try and i would like to know everything from beginning.

 

[five is my dog]

i wouldnt use eggs older than 10 days. and i wouldnt use washed either

 

[loveourbirds]

at 15 days some will probably still hatch, but your rates wont be very good. washed eggs will sometimes hatch, but again your rates wont be good. it would be best if you can get fertile eggs from a local farmer, fresh and unwashed. the sand article mentioned by "sumi" in post#3 does work pretty well, you could use candles or kerosene lamps to maintain the temperature. my fear would be the chances of fire from using such items. also a direct heat source is bad, the sand helps make the temperature more even. i have heard of people using heated rice to warm incubators in a pinch - that may help you too.

what you are talking about doing requires constant monitoring to make sure your eggs aren't getting to hot.

just so you know there are small commercially made incubators with battery backup, they should suit your situation very well. with these incubators you will have better hatches with far less work.

the basics of hatching:
temperature should be 99.5 to 101 degrees farenhiet. you will have to convert to celsius. if the temperature dropps to 95 degrees for a little bit, it is not bad. if it gets above 101 degrees for a long time it will kill some eggs.
turn eggs at least 3 times a day, candle them on day 10 - if they are clear throw them away, if they are about 1/2 dark mass they are developing well.
on day 18 stop turning, only open your incubator if you have to. spray warm water on them very lightly to help with drops in humidity.

im not going to try to talk you out of the candle method, but i will advise against it due to the constant attention needed.

 

[princewahaj]

@five is my dog: Thank you very much for giving me your precious time friend.

@loveourbirds: I am strongly agree with your advise and now, i just think that there could be chances of fire.

Can you please advise me another cheaper method please? Like sand method! I have a lot of sand, and can put the eggs in sand but i want to know the method exactly! Would electric bulb required in sand?

And, If you can help me regarding the method of Sand Incubating, so i will be very much thankful to you.

Thank you also for sparing your precious time to write such a advisable and long post!