Incubator questions

[selfsuffally]

This is my first time raising quail and incubating eggs. I ordered an incubator on Ebay, it was listed as new. It arrived today and is clearly not new. It's scratched and someone made a poor attempt at cleaning it. I have contacted the seller, but who knows if and when they will respond.

I ordered the eggs today so thankfully they have not yet shipped and I have a little bit of time to get another incubator. The only incubator that I can purchase locally is a small, still air from TSC and they do not carry the quail rails. If I cannot get another incubator how do I clean the one I received? Is there one that y'all recommend that is affordable? I've looked at the Brinsea and would love to buy one, but it's not in my budget.

Can Button and Gambel eggs be incubated together? I ordered about 10 Button and 50 Gambel eggs.

 

[MainelyQuail]

You can definitely get your money back from the seller and will pay shipping.

As for a local incubator I started with one from tractor supply but mine had a fan. As for the rails you can hand turn 3 times a day. I got my rails from amazon.

 

[selfsuffally]

Thought I would post an update. The seller has not responded to me on Ebay and my Button eggs arrived today, they came early. I turned the incubator on over the weekend and it would not get up to temperature, it stayed between 28.5 and 29 degrees celsius. The link is the incubator I purchased. http://www.ebay.com/itm/96-Digital-...id=100290&rk=1&rkt=4&mehot=pp&sd=361935792297

Looks like I'm stuck using this one. It's either that or I buy a still air from TSC. I'm thinking if I set it in the styrofoam it shipped in, it'll help get it to temperature and keep it there. What do y'all think? I'm going to spray it down with white vinegar to disinfect it.

 

[Binki]

Aww, what a jerk to sell you a dirty used incubator and then ignore you :/

I guess go with what you have, that's a good idea setting it in the styrofoam for extra insulation, I would advise keeping an extra eye on the temp/humidity and I wouldn't believe what readings it told me. It was posted a few days ago that a persons brand new LG incubator was reading the temp wrong by nearly 3 degrees.

Do you have any other known accurate thermometers to check it with? Google calibrating thermometer and it'll show you with hot water and etc. - never have done it myself but would not trust those readings!

 

[selfsuffally]

Using the incubator I received is out. It doesn't work properly, the heater will not come on. My husband has tried to figure out why, but no luck. My choices from TSC are Farm Innovators Model 4250 and still air. If I use the still air, to clarify, what temp and humidity do I need to keep it at? Will taking the incubator with me to work affect the eggs, so that I can monitor the temp and humidity and turn the eggs? Work is only about a ten minute drive.

Model 4250 has negative reviews on Amazon and TSC. Has anyone used it? It has a wire mesh separating the rails/eggs from the water tray. Do I need to put shelf liner or something else on top of the wire?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...-series-circulated-air-incubator?cm_vc=-10005

Which would be better? Either way I'll have to turn the eggs, the holes on the rails on 4250 are too big for button quail eggs. Could I use a cupcake liner to hold the egg in the rail? Or is there one that would suggested I can buy for less than $200?

 

[feedman77]

You would have order I would say 1588 genesis. With Turner about 200.

If you go with still air you want temps 101 to 102 taken at top of eggs.

Run dry or real low humidity during incubation. I try for 20 to 35 percent. The raise to 70 plus for hatch.

If you get the Turner most farm stores will have quail rails.

When you get the incubator set on temp don't adjust constantly for small swings. You will drive yourself crazy. So I wouldn't take eggs to work. The drive may shake them up as well.

As far as the liner it's your choice. I hatch on the metal mesh screen all the time.

Good luck