Homemade incubator, Excalibur food dehydrator

[gpop1]

its possible if you was planning on hatching a lot of chicks to cut a hole in the top near the front and build a chamber that returns air to the rear. Then you could foam the vents in the original door. This would be overkill for a odd hatch once a year

something like

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Day 14. Sad update. I've has 2 mass die offs. I've now only got 2 viable eggs left. I believe the deaths were caused by a temperature spike.

I've found some very interesting articles and videos aimed at industrial hatcheries (hatching millions of eggs a week). They discuss measuring the temperature of the eggshell. One video talked about using an ear thermometer. Which I happen to have. Ideal eggshell temperature is 100-101. My poor eggs measured 104.3 Turned the temp down. The Accumeter read 95 but the eggshell temp is 100.4.

I think what happened is the eggs werw always on the hot side. But as they developed and started producing their own heat that bumped them from an at risk internal temperature to danger and death. While I like to think the two remaining eggs are freakishly hardy it more likely they were just at a cooler part of the tray. That difference saved them until I caught on to what was happening.

Incubating definitely isn't for the faint of heart. It's upsetting the learning curve must be life and death. The experiment has gotten significantly less fun since I started seeing the eggs as babies.

On a happy note one of the remaining eggs is the egg with the crack repair. The other is a mystery Bantam. One nerve wracking week left. I hope to report back next week with positive news.

 

[gpop1]

sry about the loss.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Day 18. This evening while preparing for lockdown I candled and saw, then heard, internal pipping. I checked them again 3 hours later and have external pipping on the bantam egg. I'm hoping to wake up to a brand new chick! The second egg looked good too (change in air cell and strong movement) but obviously I can't check it anymore. Day 18-19 hatching is just further proof in my mind that the dehydrator was running hotter than it should have. More updates to come.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Day 19. At 7 am the little egg looked about the same. This evening, 6 pm, the pip is doubled in size. No zip. The egg is rocking and chirping. No change to the other egg until candled. There were sone major changes to the air cell. It's enlarged, dipped, and shadows now inside it. Getting close.
They might make it to day 20 after all!

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Zipping has started! The little guy is really zooming.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

The bantam egg hatched on day 19. 24 hours after external pipping. Once he started zipping he was out within the hour. He was not a robust chick initially. Didn't stand right away and stuggled to walk erect. He would scoot along. I think he hatched too soon. His yolk was barely absorbed and he had a thin string membrane coming out. Kind of like an umbilical cord only much thinner. I left it alone and it's dried up fine. He's always been very loud.
Fortunately he's up and active now. I'm finally breathing a sigh of relief. We have a chick!

I chickened out with hatching him in the dehydrator. I just couldn't get the humidity over 45. I considered putting a shoe box that fit inside it and raising the humidity in there. Ultimately I decided I'd already taken enough chances with the eggs. I bought a forced air incubator from Tractor Supply. Once the egg hit lock down I moved it into there. He's still in the incubator where he's warm and safe. Moving him to a brooder tonight.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

The second egg I had a bad feeling about. Had internal pipping 2 days ago. I got a bad feeling after seeing no progress or movement for 24 hours. I went in last night and it had died. It's yolk was not fully absorbed but it looked normal aside from that. Was position for proper hatching. The last casualty in a mostly unsuccessful hatch.

 

[MonicaWA]

Congrats on your new baby!

I have two eggs hatching today, both have pips.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Here he is! He's really taken to eating and drinking today. Got moved to the brooder box this morning. He'll be by himself for 2 more week until our next batch of eggs is due