Homemade Icubator

[JessicaMallison]

I made two homemade incubators out of two styrofoam coolers. I ran the first one for 4 days the temp is steady between 101*F to 103*F and the humidity stays steady at 40% to 50%. I turn them between 3 to 5 times a day. I have the eggs sitting in cut cartons for now.I'm at day 12 and I'm going to candle them again tonight. I would love to have some advice and does and don'ts based on others who have used or made homemade incubators please.

 

[JessicaMallison]

Here is a picture of my incubator.

 

[JessicaMallison]

Today is day 13. I have 10 Heritage Rhode Island Red eggs in my homemade bator. I'm pretty sure I have 4 moving fluffy butt babies and 1 possible out, 3 are completely clear, I believe that means they were not fertile to begin with, and 2 look like day 6 quitters. I'm getting really excited lock down is in 5 days!!!

 

[kim27]

I like your homemade incubator. I hope your hatch goes well.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Looks great and sounds like you're doing fine. First time hatch ever?

 

[JessicaMallison]

Looks great and sounds like you're doing fine. First time hatch ever?

Yep,First hatch ever! I got to see the 4 babies moving Sunday night. I candled them a few times before, but I was showing my mother and when she talked they started to move! She's awesome like that. While I was pregnant with all four of my children, all she'd have to do is touch me and they'd move. I think I may have been a day ahead of myself with the eggs lock down day. We are at day 16 today.

 

[JessicaMallison]

I also have 22 Copper Maran eggs in my second bator. Today is day 1. All of my eggs were shipped. So I let them sit for 12 hours before going in the bators. I keep reading stories about detached air cells from shipped eggs. I hope these will be okay. I think next time I will let them sit for 24hrs.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Don't stress on being exact on lockdown, just as long as its done before your first pip (sometimes at the first pip) and you'll be ok. Shipped eggs, huh? I've hatched quite a few of those. Did you candle them to see if the aircells were detached? How are they sitting in the bator, on sides or on end? And are you turning them?

 

[JessicaMallison]

Don't stress on being exact on lockdown, just as long as its done before your first pip (sometimes at the first pip) and you'll be ok. Shipped eggs, huh? I've hatched quite a few of those. Did you candle them to see if the aircells were detached? How are they sitting in the bator, on sides or on end? And are you turning them?

When I get them I let them sit for 12 hrs to come to room temp. And I keep them in an egg carton. I turn them by hand at least three times a day. I just learned about the detached air cell issue. So I have not candled my previous eggs. I just got another batch today. 6 Silkies and 6 RIR'S, I will definitely candled these. What am I looking for?

 

[Ravynscroft]

Crap, just lost everything I typed. Retyping now, lol.