I swear I'm chucking the bator out the window...eggs and all!

[dieselgrl48]

I feel ya.I have been so Disgruntled last few month's since I'm back to using the LG's.The first egg's I put in I had a good hatch on Xmas 09.6 silkie's,5 giant cochin/ frizzle's and 2 bantam sumatra.And they were shipped egg's.I bought some different set's of shipped egg's in the next couple of months.I hatched one Silkie, one showgirl and one guinea out of blah blah egg's.I hatched 7 guinea eggs out of 15 a guy gave last summer in Sportsman,but the other's were not fertile so.. Im gonna win the lotto and get me a darn Sportsman back grrrrrr!Untill then will keep filling these Beer Cooler/Fish bait boxes with water and every egg I can get.I just "Preened" My one LG today since the 2 chicks out.No ulgie's at all in it maybe a couple and scrubbing it tomm.I got 14 new egg's rocking in the newer one at 100 degree's will update on those.I've hatched some columbian Wyandotte bantam's (several but have laying hen there).Just got 2 newbie's here yest.Shipping is hard on egg's and you will get some good hatche's along with dud's even if you have a good bator.But Im a Gambler It took me 5 years to get the bird's I liked.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

What are you calibrating your thermometer against? The most inexpensive way we have found to calibrate is we picked up a digital probe thermometer for humans, like you would stick under your tongue, at the grocery store. Ran us about $4. Thermometers for humans must be, by law, accurate to +/- 0.2 degrees. We stick it through the hole in the top of the bator farthest from the motor and take the temp reading at the top of the eggs. That gives us our benchmark reading to calibrate our incubator thermometer against.
Also check out this link for answers to incubation and hatchability troubleshooting. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204

 

[MuranoFarms]

The probe for the thermometer sits on top of the eggs close to center of the bator. I make sure it's not under the heating element or air holes.

I couldn't find a 'proper' way to calibrate the thermometer. So I compare its reading to everything from my thermostat (on the wall) one of those wall mart $7 ones, another Extech of the same type....an extech for room temp, 2 digital weather stations (http://www.lacrossetechnology.com/8035it/index.php) I've even stuck one of those IN the bator when it wasn't very full! lol I also use a Fluke 62 mini ir (http://www.amazon.com/Fluke-62-Mini-Infrared-Thermometer/dp/B000MX5Y9C) to check the surface temp of the eggs, which should verify the air temp...should being the operative word here

Mostly I use that one to check hot and cold spots so that I can rotate the eggs. (DH is a bit of a gadget geek lol)

Admittedly, 2 of the zero hatches were my first 2 hatches ever. I know lots of us had that happen in the beginning. After that I seemed to do fairly well. Then I took a break. (should have never took a break! lol Just keep hatching) Since I started back up I have had terrible hatches. The one hatch the air plugs were put in for 2 weeks...so that was my fault for not noticing. Otherwise, everything has been exactly as I had it before.

Today I have 2 little fluffy butts in the Brinsea Eco.....so It's looking like I may just need to switch to that brand.

 

[MuranoFarms]

Quote:

That is the exact reason that I haven't ordered sebatapol goose eggs yet! I would be sick if they didn't make it.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I was exactly where you are last summer/fall. I sold my Hovabator because I just couldn't hatch anything in it...even when all the numbers were perfect. It was exactly the same thing...most would make it right up to day 18-21, some would pip the aircell...and then most would die. I borrowed a Brinsea Advanced with humidity control and still had a crappy hatch but I think it was because the calibration was off. It was a borrowed incubator and had not been used for almost a year. The friend that I borrowed it from has since reset it to the factory settings and has had good hatches.

Then I bought the Rcom Suro King and have had very good hatches. Some are my own eggs and some are shipped. I run my humidity at 45% and temp at 100.3 days 1-18 and then 60% day 19 through hatch. I don't have to touch the eggs at all during incubation and only candle at day 7 and 18. The Rcom has a turning cradle and humidity pump...everything is automatic...just like the high end Brinsea. I can highly recommend it.

I am hatching silkie eggs which I think are harder to hatch

 

[MuranoFarms]

I talked to someone today that uses the LG's to hatch, but a genesis as the incubator...she gets great hatches! I have 3 hatched out of the brinsea right now, and 1 more in there that has pipped internally. I've had this set in the brinsea for it's whole last week. It's day 22, so hopefully the last guy makes it! This was a dozen eggs....even 3 I'm happy with!

oldetimegator: a lot of my hatches have been silkie eggs too! One of my best hatches was mixed eggs. Marans, ee's, Jg and a duck! lol I have some D'Uccles I just put in and they are all developing

so we'll see if I have better luck with a different breed.