Incubator w/o a turner

[mustangsaguaro]

I have a couple of cheapie incubators, however they don't have turners on them. Since eggs need to be turned obviously I would need to do it. How often do eggs need to be turned (daily, a couple times a day, etc?). I have a young pullet that is on and off broody right now and am worried if I put eggs under her she might decide to abandoned them midstream, so I want to make sure if I need to put eggs in a incubator what I need to do. Besides turning of the eggs do I need to set temp and humidity to a certain # and what should that be. I believe in the incubators I have there is a small holder to put water in to help the humidity. This hatching thing is new to me and I plan to hatch some babies out w/in the next month or so. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

THanks

 

[arlee453]

Turn an odd number of times per day. Most folks turn either 3 or 5 times.

I have had great hatch rates turning 3x per day - in the morning, then afternoon and before bed - about every 8 hrs.

Stop turning on day 18/19 and up the humidity to prepare for hatching


good luck with your hatch!

 

[Bantymama]

I turn mine 3 times a day. I also write on them 1 2 and 3 that way when i turn them they should all be on the same # so i don't forget to turn any. I do my last turn on day 18. For some odd reason i allways have 100 % hatch with my chickens. Not so lucky with Pheasants though.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

I have pictures of my incubator and was wondering if anyone could tell me if I just plug it in and it will go to the temperature I need it at. It's one of those cheapie styrofoam ones. I don't have any instructions for it. It's kind of dirty as it has been sitting outside in the elements. I know it does work as the red light does turn on when I plug it in, plus the heating element does heat up. When I do decide to put eggs in, how long should I have it turned on for before putting eggs in? Do I need to check the temperature or anything? If so what should the temp be at and how would I check it. Also, do I need to put a small bowl of water in it at the bottom for humidity or not? Finally, there is some type of of thing on the outside that it appears when you turn it, it can go up or down. What is that used for?

Thanks

 

[Bantymama]

Here is what i would do. First clean it and disinfect it. Then add some water in a small pan and set in the bottom. Or you can add water in the bottom in the small runs. Then put in a themometer and hydrometer. Turn it on a check the temp and humidity after 24 hourrs to see where it is at. There should be a knob some where to adjust the temp. If it is to hot turn it down or up it it is to cold. I have a fan in mine. I keep the temp at 99.5 and humidity at 45 %. Hopfully some one else will jump in and give temp and humidity setting if there is no fan.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

Quote:
I planned on cleaning and disinfecting it, so no worries there. As for a thermometer do you just use the type for taking a humans temp? Where can you get a hydrometer and are they expensive?

 

[Bantymama]

I have gotten a hydometer from eggcartons.com. and they carry the same thermometer i use. kinda hard to find on the site so here is the web pages $12.95 and $6.95
http://www.eggcartons.com/product-exec/product_id/11/nm/New_Design_Incubator_Hygrometer_FHP_HYGRO

http://www.eggcartons.com/product-exec/product_id/45/nm/Little_Giant_Replacement_Thermometer_5228

 

[Katy]

Is the dark coloration mold...or just dirt? I think I'd be afraid of putting eggs in it....I doubt you can get it all off and out of the styrafoam.

 

[mustangsaguaro]

Quote:
I believe it is just dirt. However I will clean it up and see how it cleans up. I do have another incubator, metal if this one doesn't clean up good enough.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

Although your incubator doesn't have a label that I can see, it looks just like mine, only dirty!

Do an online search for the GQF manufacturing site, click the "Instructions" tab at the top of the page, and down at the very bottom of the list you will find instructions for your kind of incubator:

(Hova-Bator thermal air incubator 1602N and 1582N)

Although there are much better quality thermometers around, if you aren't feeling like investing a lot in the incubator at this point, you could start with a dual measurment temp& humidity gadget that you can find at places like Walmart; its Accurite brand. I have successfully hatched chicks with one of those, but I -do- think it was 1* inaccurate in it's temp measurements.

Although still air incubators need higher temps than ones that contain a fan, I found that 100F was a good temp for the one I have similar to yours, though some people say 101F is the way to go.

The wafer (circle) inside the lid is part of the thermostat. The little metal handle on the outside is the temperature adjuster. Start by simply plugging it in. After 24 hours, see what temp it is, and turn the metal knob to increase or decrease the temp., letting it have time to adjust. Then adjust it again until you get it to the temp. you want. After you adjust it, if you store it at that setting, it should still be very close to the correct temperature if you need to plug it in to rescue a clutch of eggs from a suddenly non-broody hen.

On mine, 1 complete turn of the metal handle is 4*F temp. difference. Counter clockwise (if you look down from above) increases the temp, and Clockwise decreases it.

Hope you can get it up and running alright.