Hova Bator Help I'am New.

[Little Chicken's Nana.]

Help, I have never done this before, my husband got me a Hova Bator for Christmas, this past saturday, I bought 2 dozen fertile Black copper maran eggs, there beautiful, I'am setting up the incubator, I have several questions, should I place a towel or something under the incubator once its sitting on the level table, I didnt know does it sweat, I know the man I bought my eggs from said to follow the directions on the paper work that came with the incubator, but it does'nt say, if I have 24 eggs should I take out the two middle racks in the egg turner, looking at it, I dont understand does it flip the eggs all the way over, or does it just rock the eggs back and forth, looking at what people say how important is it for the room you set them up in to be warm or at at least 70"degrees, I live in the most coldest house in the world its log, its just because its not insulated very well, the only room that does stay the same is the loft thats over my living room, its just that it stays very dry too, because we have propane gas, and heat rise's, but I know with my grandson's hermet crabs they live up there in the loft, but I have to give them water every two days, it drys out quick, would it be a good ideal to keep it up there, down stairs it stays cold most of the time and you can feel air coming in at several spots, all around the fireplace, and the doors, my only warm spot is up stairs. Help I just dont know.

 

[buildingmyark]

Okay, take a deep breath. I don't think that you have to put a towel under the bator. I did put a yoga mat under mine for extra cushion, but probably not neccesary. The important thing is that the bator is on something that is sturdy. Leave the egg turner alone. It will be fine. It just tilts them from side to side. Does your bator have a thermostat? If so it should be fine anywhere with a stable temperature as long as you don't open it. Just follow the instructions and DON'T open the bator unless you absolutely have to! Good luck!

 

[Jessiewoodard57]

which model hovabator do you have. The bator well not sweat so a towel is purely choice.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Well, actually,if you get a thermometer and hygrometer it would help. This thread is very hard to understand without punctuation, but I think you will be OK. YOu can take out the extra turning racks. THe turner only rocks them side to side, not all the way over.

 

[Little Chicken's Nana.]

Thank you, I'am so nervous that I want do something that I should have, in the whole process. I have read the whole leaflet that came with the incubator now several time's, and with the egg turner all that came with it was a sheet of paper (small), explaining how it worked, there is a thermostat with the incubator and thermometer, I have put it on a sturdy table that's the same size as it, I have put water in it and now I'am about to turn it on, and would'nt you know it, its now raining cats and dogs, the wind is plowing really bad, but I do have a backup plan for if the power goes out, I'll be o.k. We have a inverter that goes on your battery, and I do have it set up just in case. But I'am going to let it run for several hours untill it builds up the right temperture, then put my eggs in, so if all goes well in 21 days from tonight, I should have baby chick's. I love reading from everybody outthere, it really helps with your situation, so Thank you everybody, my incubator is model # 1602 N, and the egg turner is model # 1611, I hope that its a good one it says you can do 41 eggs at a time, I still want to do some Araucana eggs, but around here all there is is Easter Eggers, I already have some, and I do love them, but I would like to have some rumpless Araucana's. But one thing at a time with God's help, I hope to have some beautiful Black Copper Marans, and I have another little coop to build.

 

[FrankRobin]

I just hatched 24 out of 36 Buckeye eggs in a 1602, forced air Hovabator. I did have a bit of a sweat issue under the incubator so a towel may help or maybe set it up a little on some wood strips to allow air underneath. I agree with the other posts, get your temp set for a day or two before setting as well as humidity then set your eggs and don't open the lid unless absolutely needed. Also, with this hatch, it started on 21 days and went to 24 days so be patient when the eggs start to pip.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Do not put it on a towel. Foam incubators have small vents on the bottom that may be blocked if you do.

If your incubator has a fan it can go anywhere in the house as long as it does not get hit with extreme temps. If it does not have a fan it needs very stable temps. http://cmfarm.us/stillair.html

 

[Little Chicken's Nana.]

I'am still worried did I put enough water in it, because the instructions say , Fill , Center trough with warm water. Surface area, not depth, effects humidity; refill trough as necessary to prevent it from drying out. O.K. for one thing its so hard to see right there where the water should be filled up at because of the egg turner, so is it saying to fill the water on the surface only dont fill it all the way up to the top, I was scared, I would put too much and that would do something to the embryo in the egg, I seen that on some ones thread that , that was bad, and then on some they say dont put no water, but the instructions do say to put water in it. Thank you everyone for your help.

 

[jm93030]

I recomend to put the hydrometer before you put water

first need to know how much humidity is there

give it some time to get an acurate reading

than add water little by little

I start with 1/4 of a cup

and wait

you need to maintain your humidity at 50 -60%

remember be patiente

temperature and humidity needs time

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Yea, you need a way to measure humidity. But humidity is not as simple as me telling you what humidity to run. What works for me may be a disaster to you. http://cmfarm.us/ventilation.html You need a local with the same incubator to tell you what they run. That would get you the best start.