Help with my homemade incubator please!

[Jloeffler]

Florida - I was hoping that might be the case! I don't see any holes this morning, but I also can't see the entire egg surface. This morning it's dropped back a bit, but is still higher than it was yesterday morning. Arrggghhh! They need to go on and hatch already!

 

[Floridachicken1958]

Quote:

your to much so funy waiting on chickens to hatch. don't worry they will come in time.

 

[Jloeffler]

Patience has never been a virtue of which I have ever been accused! Guess I'm going to have to learn some!!

 

[Arielle]

Jloeffler--My DH wasn't so keen about increasing the number of chickens beyond the one adopted hen; I loved her, I enjoyed her, I wanted more chickens. SO I went ahead and ordered 25 chicks from MM. Boy he was not in on this at all. So I continued to read and live on BYC for support. I've added a few more chickens and turkeys since then and he loves them. He'll be the one to scoop a quart of scratch and sit and feed them.I'm glad he found something relaxing to do!


Most of mine pipped on the top; don't know if this is typical.Advice from a notable turkey expert recommends reducing the temperature during hatch. Still trying to find such advice for chickens.

Patience is gained by practice. Though at some point anxiety became my mode.

GL

 

[sarahsills]

Hi, I just had my first chicks hatch in my home made incubator, i used a polystyrene box from the farm shop (broccoli came in it) I cut a window in the front and put an old picture frame piece of glass over the hole. Then I bought a light and attached it to the inside, I cut two holes in the top and put the two pieces i cut out back in after attaching a piece of string them so I can let the heat out if too hot. I put chicken wire over a tray in the bottom and covered the light with it stuck a garden thermometer in. Filled the tray with water and put a kitchen Jay cloth over the chicken wire where the eggs go. Oh I also put some big stones in to help retain the heat. First the temp was holding well but if the temp in the kitchen dropped then the bator got cooler so I stood the thing on a towel and wrapped it over the top. BINGO this worked. put the eggs in and every couple of days I topped up the water tray and spayed mist over the eggs CAREFULLY COS OF THE LIGHT.

I have my first chicks, 2 are really doing well, one I think has worn itself out trying to get out of the egg and is just sleeping and another is pipping. One is not doing anything and I dont think this one will hatch.

Now I have had to make a box for the next stage. All in all it has cost me about £15.00 and im really proud of myself!!

Hope this is of interest to someone.

 

[Jloeffler]

Sarahsills - sounds great! Have any pics you can post? Cool use of found items! How many eggs did you put in?

 

[Jloeffler]

Well, the final tally was zero chicks.

after no movement and no changes I candles. Nada. I cracked them and found one day four quitter and two partially cooked yolks. So, guess operator error and high temps foiled this one. Hopefully I can fix those issues!

Thanks for all the advice and cheering folks! Appreciate it! Thanks Florida!! Maybe I'll have

next time!

 

[Floridachicken1958]

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Awe I'm very sorry to hear that

 

[jc12551]

There is a real incubator in my old classroom (Mrs.Broadnax's). Ask the teacher that replaced me or see if Karl has it. It worked great to hatch out babes for me! Maybe they will let you use it if you convince them they can work it into their curriculum somehow or you are working it into your! I doubt any of them are using it. It sat unopened in a cabinet for many years before I took over that room.

 

[Jloeffler]

Quote:
Awesome! We have a new Ag teacher, Gaddy retired, and she has quail eggs I got for her on the Swap thread in it.ill check with Karl and see if he knows what's up!


BTW: second run with the homemade incubator went great!! I had a 50% hatch rate and would've had 100% if not for good ol Irene coming along and knocking out power for 24 hours during lockdown!! So as far as I'm concerned, the tank bator was a success and shall hopefully be used again in the future!