I'm pretty happy with my Hovabator...

[FenDruadin]

When my husband asked last night if I wanted him to close the windows before bed, I said, "Nah, we'll just cuddle if it gets cold." I completely forgot about the incubator. And it got chilly--in the 40s, which is chilly for here this time of year--but that little Hovabator just kept chugging. The thermometer registers ranges, and showed no dip in temp at all during the night. Woo-hoo!

I know it's kind of a cheap bator, but I'm pretty happy with its reliability so far--once you get that temp stabilized, it's pretty stable. Just in case anyone was wondering...

 

[ChanceRider]

Glad to hear you're happy with your purchase! Isn't it a good feeling when something you've bought does what it should? Hope you'll post pics of your cute little fuzzies when they hatch

.

 

[Junkmanme]

A few years ago, I started saving the big pieces of styrofoam that are often used in packaging shipped items. These I have kept in an unused enclosure. I kept these pieces to use in packing things SOLD using Ebay.

Since the temperatures vary WIDELY within my small house (because it is primarily heated by a woodstove and I often leave an outside door partially open to allow the dogs to go in/out), I have been thinking about using the saved styrofoam to build a small enclosure in which to place my incubator(s)....so that the incubator will not be subject to such wild swings of the ambient temperature within my house.

My thinking is that this would provide additional retention of heat within the "proposed" incubator enclosure AND also provide protection from the excessive swings of temperature of the ambient temperature within the house. (I'm also a "fresh-air NUT" AND a "smoker"! Ha-Ha!)

IF I build such an "incubator enclosure" AND provide for sufficient "ventilation" (limited), would this INCREASE the likelyhood that my incubator would perform efficiently?

Whadda ya think?

-Junkmanme-

 

[Happy Chooks]

Quote:
Good to know! I have a hovabator 1602N and it's all fired up and waiting for eggs!

ETA: it seems to hold temp really well, but I don't have anything in it yet except for a thermometer and hygrometer.

 

[HBuehler]

My Hova Bators are never effected by room temps and humidity..they stay solid as a rock. Even now with the ac off and windows open.We are also dipping to the 40's at night..chicks hatching right now

We just went thru 12" of rain so we don't have to mention that humidity level and they still stayed right on with that as well.

 

[FenDruadin]

Thanks for the responses! The Hova's doing great--this is my third hatch. With the first one, it seemed like the temp was varying quite a bit, but it turned out it was actually my thermometer. It stays rock steady now, except when I mess with it by leaving it open for a little while I work in there or by adding cold water to the wells (I know, it's supposed to be warm, but sometimes I get in a hurry and forget). Even then, it adjusts pretty quickly.

Anyway, junkman--I think your idea is great. I would add some thermal mass in that styrofoam enclosure too--maybe some large water bottles or stones or such, to help hold the heat in place. Our house is not well insulated, but because of the type of material it's built with, it does have high thermal mass and as a result, it always takes a long time to heat up or cool down. That is exactly what you want in your incubator environment.

Good luck!

 

[mahalo4]

That is awesome my LG fluctuates a lot with outside temp changes/my old house has horrible insulation. I am saving for a cabinet bator to eliminate this problem.8 more days till i have more chicks.

 

[missfitch]

Just bought a GQF Hovabator Incubator 1602N and had it on all day, running well, nice and warm.....just need a thermometer, must take a trip to Walmarts tomorrow, expecting eggs tomorrow or Saturday!!!!

 

[Tad]

we hatched 10 tuesday with hovabator, I am waiting for molt to be over before starting again so I can fill it up, come november december the marans should be laying and I will hatch me up a bunch of them too!! VIVA EL HOVABATOR!!!

 

[FenDruadin]

Hi missfitch--I just posted on your thread about the hygrometer! Since you're not expecting the eggs until tomorrow or the next day, and will have to let them sit anyway, you could get the thermometer in the morning and calibrate it during the day.

Mahalo--enjoy your cabinet bator. I really want one from cbiblis & muddstopper once they have their prototype perfected--they are making a REALLY SWEET bator that is furniture-quality, gorgeous, holds 96 eggs, and has a fully automated & programmable controller to manage temps, humidity, and turning. It is expected to be highly competitive price-wise with the Dickeys & other large cabinet bators, but a much higher quality. They're half a day's drive from me, in a gorgeous part of the country that's worth visiting for its own sake, so I may just have to make a day trip up their way in a few months when they have one ready for me...

They're also going to offer them in the larger sizes, but I want the little end-table sized one.

In the mean time, I am NOT dissing my Hovabator. It's done great for me!