I am loving my incubator right now...

[nmantime]

I bought a Brinsea octagon 20 ECO last month and after running for a couple of days locked it in on temp and humidity. I was going to use the adjustable rails that came with it but had an ideal.
I used the bottom part of 2 styrofoam egg cartons and placed them in the incubator with a rail between each one. The reason i used the egg cartons was that i wanted to be sure that i kept the large end of the eggs up and not have much movement. I cut a small hole in the bottom of each egg cell also (don't know why just did it). I set 15 eggs from fellow BYC'r littlegreybantam. 3 days later i set 9 more eggs in the ECO and 5 more in my mini advanced. At day 9 candled all eggs and removed 3 of the ones i received from littlegreybantam, they showed no development at all. Also moved 3 eggs from the mini advanced to the ECO20.
This past saturday I had a 100% hatch rate on the eggs from littlegreybantam

and today 5 of the 2nd set hatched out and the other 9 are zipping thier way out now

... what i really like was how easy it is to control temp and humidity in this incubator. I had read in other threads about BCM eggs and humidity so i ran day 1 thru day 19 at 29% to 35%. On day 19 I added water to the second trough and humidity increased to 48%. I never changed the vent slider. Just set it at 50% and did not move it. I used a brinsea digital spot check

to verify temp (built in mercury was very accurate) and 2 hygrometers i calibrated. Bought both hygrometers on Amazon for 9 bucks each.

Now i know after reading all the different threads about hatching shipped eggs and the less than stellar results i just wanted to share my results using the ECO20... I am already moving my eggs i bought from upinthehollar to the ECO20. The second set of eggs i bought from fellow BYC'r Melissa at pasofinofarm. All of these egg purchases required across the country shipping to me in Cali.
Is anyone else using the 20 ECO having the similar results... I really believe that the lower humidity setting is helping as the chicks hatch clean and fluff dry quickly and there does not seem to be excessive moisture or egg drowning i have had with another incubator.

Norm in N.CA

 

[TACEYPERKINS]

Great job,I use a lower humidity rate too. It seems to help. I dont have your incubator. I am barrowing a friends Lyon incubator.

 

[brendapa]

Norm,

I have the Brinsea Eco also and found it to be very reliable. 13 of 15 eggs that went into lockdown hatched and if I had been a better candeler, i wouldn't have included them. I ran the humidity a little higher than you, 35%-42% incubation, 50%-60% lockdown. I turned it down to 99 degrees at 1st pip.
But, I did get a pip and hatch on day 19, which makes me think it was running a little high in temp even though both thermometers showed right under 100 degrees. 9 hatched on day 20 and 3 on day 21.

I'd like to try the egg carton between the rails turning method.
Can you post a picture?
And what did you do with the carton for hatch? Take out the rails and leave them in the cartons?
Did you use styrofoam egg cartons?

Brenda

 

[nmantime]

I will post pics later on the egg carton setup. I used styrofoam cartons. I left the cartons in until 9 of the 12 had hatched and then removed one carton. laid the other 3 eggs that were zipping on the tray and they finished up fine.
I have a question? Why do you lower temp on 1st pip? I had an early hatch also but i have checked the temp with 3 different accurate thermometers and a water wiggler... I am trusting my thermometers now and my hygrometers after calibration. I saw temps go from 99.2 to 100.4 on the brinsea digital spot checkers and 99 to 101 on the included mercury thermometer. 2nd set is hatching 1-2 days early but they are looking great... did a staggered set in the eco 3-4 days difference.

Norm

Quote:

 

[brendapa]

Norm,

I read somewhere to lower it 1 degree since the chicks are alive generating heat themselves during the hatch.
Most people go to 99 degrees in a brooder. I also thought it may help to raise the humidity.
At lockdown I added a 2nd straw through the vent but kept the vent open for air circulation.

If you look at "my Page" you can see how I added a hobby straw/antenae whip through the little water hole on top. I could not find tubing small enough to fit through that little hole.

And the eggs rocked to turn in the egg carton? Using the rails they just slid left to right.

Brenda

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

I don't have the same incubator but I love mine anyway

I have a sportsman and right now ALL the eggs I set are growing

Congrats on your great hatches

Don't ya just love an incubator that does it's job and does it well!