HHD incubator help

[Shartzoge]

HHDincubator First of all I have a slight problem with adjusting the humidity level during the first days of incubation. As my instruction booklet did not say how to do that so my eggs have been at 65% almost the entire time and it did tell me to fill both chambers. 2nd I finally have gotten to day 21 and have had two chicks hatch only to wiggle around to the edge and drown by getting their little heads stuck through the crack around the tray. It's very upsetting as this is my first ever hatching. I did put paper towels around so that when and if others hatch they do not suffer the same fate! Is this a common accident with your incubator?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

HHDincubator First of all I have a slight problem with adjusting the humidity level during the first days of incubation. As my instruction booklet did not say how to do that so my eggs have been at 65% almost the entire time and it did tell me to fill both chambers. 2nd I finally have gotten to day 21 and have had two chicks hatch only to wiggle around to the edge and drown by getting their little heads stuck through the crack around the tray. It's very upsetting as this is my first ever hatching. I did put paper towels around so that when and if others hatch they do not suffer the same fate! Is this a common accident with your incubator?

If the humidity is too high (which it is) you have to take water out.

When it is time for them to hatch you need to take the turner out. Which incubator is it? If it is like my 56 egg clear top one there is a gap between the grate and the sides. I never hatch in that incubator and use my Farm Innovators instead, but if I had to I would fill in the gap with washcloths or something.

Are you staggering your hatches (ie have eggs at different stages of development all in one incubator)?

 

[Shartzoge]

Thank you for your reply. Being a first timer I did not know what to do so thank you I will use this information for future hatchings. It is day 21 and I now have several in the process of pipping. I have stuffed paper towels in the gaps hoping no more chicks suffer the same fate as the first two. I had no idea that could happen and am a bit dissatisfied with the HHD incubator if you can not incubate and hatch in the same machine..

 

[Shartzoge]

If the humidity is too high (which it is) you have to take water out. 

When it is time for them to hatch you need to take the turner out. Which incubator is it? If it is like my 56 egg clear top one there is a gap between the grate and the sides. I never hatch in that incubator and use my Farm Innovators instead, but if I had to I would fill in the gap with washcloths or something. 

Are you staggering your hatches (ie have eggs at different stages of development all in one incubator)?

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Thank you for your reply. Being a first timer I did not know what to do so thank you I will use this information for future hatchings. It is day 21 and I now have several in the process of pipping. I have stuffed paper towels in the gaps hoping no more chicks suffer the same fate as the first two. I had no idea that could happen and am a bit dissatisfied with the HHD incubator if you can not incubate and hatch in the same machine..

I do very much consider that a design flaw. I already had the Farm Innovators and bought the HHG so that I could stagger hatches and hatch out more eggs, since I make a lot of money selling guineas in the summer. The other thing that I do not like about my version is that the power switch is digital so if the electric goes out it does not automatically come back on. Thirdly, I have had the turner become disconnected from the turner motor on several occasions.

You might consider buying a piece of plastic mesh and cutting it to fit better in there so there is no gap if you plan to do a lot of hatching.

 

[banderbear]

Hi. Could you tell me please how to replace the fan in your incubator. I bought one and the fan overheats within 1.5 hours of it being turned on.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Hi. Could you tell me please how to replace the fan in your incubator. I bought one and the fan overheats within 1.5 hours of it being turned on.

I don't know which incubator you have but it should just have four screws holding it in.

 

[oldmcnallysfarm]

Hi I also have the hhd incubator it is meant to auto turn the eggs every 2 hours but I keep checking them and the plastic egg racks don't seem to move at all. I have plugged the racks into the motor but I can't see any evidence of it doing anything. Any ideas?

 

[mitch0275]

Hi I also have the hhd incubator it is meant to auto turn the eggs every 2 hours but I keep checking them and the plastic egg racks don't seem to move at all. I have plugged the racks into the motor but I can't see any evidence of it doing anything. Any ideas?

Okay your model should turn the eggs every 2 hours. Ideally it would turn (rock) them very slowly. (slower than can be seen) I have an hhd and what it does is (rocks) the eggs from one side to the next at a 2 hour intraval. In 2 more hours it(rocks) them the other way. So unless I am there when the 2 hour timer hits zero I would not see it.
Hope this helps.

 

[mitch0275]

So with some tweaking the hhd 56 egg can run very well. What I have done is left my incubator in the Styrofoam packing it came in for insulation and cut out just so I can see the display.
It took me 2 days to figure out what setting is needed to reach 100.4 degrees constantly and that setting was 38.3 degrees Celsius.
I use a Happy farm thermometer/hygrometer that is not very accurate but I have it figured out and a pretty accurate meat thermometer to figure it out then set my eggs.
The humidity is not accurate at all on the hhd so I'm thinking I'm gonna get a hydrotherm from zoomed and and a sonic fogger and try it out in a seal container. Should it work well I'm gonna modify the hhd.
Hope this helps. Anybody have anything to add that may help me or others please share!