Incubators Anonymous

[aliciaplus3]

I hope that it goes better for you too.
What hatcher did you switch to?

I already know that I won't be getting an HovaBator. The constant manual adjusting of the temp is a bit much. This last hatch is the 1st one that I haven't fought humidity non stop too.

I will have to look at the brand but it's a Styrofoam incubator that a friend had.... I was using my cheap plastic Chinese incubator but the temp got to wandering so bad I was getting 0% hatches.....the newer used one seems to hold temp well and humidity so I am hopefull

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

As mentioned in my initial post RH during the incubation period is low to mid 30s.
The plugs are removed and not being used ever.

Other than the 1 dozen hatching eggs, the rest are coming from my birds. I collect them daily, store them pointy end down. I haven't used eggs more than 10 days old. I don't wash the eggs, but only set clean ones.

It sounds to me like I need to try a lower humidity level during the incubation period. I'll give that a try the next round.

Thanks everyone

 

[Jessimom]

I have never used a hovabator. I have a Little Giant, an Incuview and several Brinseas. I have TRIED to stop hatching, but during the worst of my addiction I had all of them in use. The best hatch rates are ALWAYS from the Brinseas, but it does totally depend on shipping or not. I agree, sticky chicks are too much humidity, shrink wrapping in from too little humidity. I ended up having to pump moist air into the Incuview during lock down to successfully hatch. Have you candled during incubation? Are the air cells getting bigger? How do the eggs looking at the different stages?

I said I tried to stop hatching right....well I was doing great! No baby chicks anywhere. Everyone was laying. Then, I helped a class hatch some eggs (set up the incubator, gave them fertile eggs, set up the brooder and then a cage for them, then re-homed all but 1 once they hatched).

Well then I found an auction type site and I won some eggs, then I won more eggs. I set them together 8/12 and 6/8 hatched in February, then I won 15 CHICKS, they were a few weeks older than the Feb hatch, so it took a few weeks before I could integrate them. Then I won more eggs, hatched in March. That one was a horrible hatch. I only hatched 4 of 11 eggs (also 3 of the 4 are roos). I had also given 6 of those eggs to a school to hatch, and they hatched 5 of 6, so I know the problem was in my incubator. Even those were shipped eggs, I still re-calibrated everything. Then I found a local Frizzle Polish breeder. I drove about 90 minutes to pick up those eggs. I bought 24 eggs, she gave me 30, 25 made it to lockdown, 24 hatched in April. Then a friend had me hatch some eggs for her. But I won some eggs too, I set them a week later. They were all shipped eggs, hers had 16 eggs but only 11 hatched a few weeks ago. All her chicks hatched on day 21. Mine were in the same incubator - except for the few days of the other chicks lockdown. My chicks hatched on day 22, and one hatched on day 23. Out of 26 eggs, only 15 made it to lockdown. 12 hatched, 1 had a ruptured abdomen so I culled it. So, my temps are off again, and I need to recheck everything. Or maybe I need to stay off the computer, stay away from the auctions, and stop looking at ebay.....

My name is Kathy and I am addicted to hatching eggs....it wouldn't be a problem, but I am HORRIBLE at selling off the babies.....

 

[Faraday40]

Or maybe I need to stay off the computer, stay away from the auctions, and stop looking at ebay.....

My name is Kathy and I am addicted to hatching eggs....it wouldn't be a problem, but I am HORRIBLE at selling off the babies.....

I feel your pain! This year, I've hatched more than I can count (without looking through my records & using pencil/paper to add it all up.)

It also doesn't help that I have 6 broody hens at the moment! My only saving grace is that it's fun to sell chicks, meet new chicken people, and help families set up their 1st coop. Those people then become repeat customers & bring their friends the next year - all thanks to chicken math. I have a few friends with acreage who willingly take the extras. So when life gets too stressed, I can unburden myself. My friends get some started pullets & future meals.

The kids & I always pick out some spring favs to grow out. Of course our coop has limited space, so at some point either those favs or some adults must be sold to get back down to our winter number. That's rough! Right now is the time of year that people who bought spring chicks realize they have some cockerels. So right now is when people come looking for started pullets to refill their coop. I just sold 4 spring favorites yesterday. I loved the colors, was thinking of breeding them next year, and was pretty sad to let them go. However, the reality is, started pullets earn more $ and I now have less beaks to feed. It also will make my fall choices easier.

I had 2 March hatches & took April off. But here are my more current broods:
Smudge- adopted all the May hatches (4 preschools) had 38 chicks..... now down to 2 pullets & 2 cockerels
Trouble - June 1 hatch = 17 sold or rehomed & 2 chicks remain (I sold the 2 most pullet-looking. If the remaining 2 are male, we won't be tempted to keep them. LOL)
Xansie & PR - June 9th hatch = 10 sold or rehomed & 5 chicks remain. I didn't want to give up another nestbox when they both went broody, so I made them "share."
Jewel - June 20th hatch= 5 sold 2 chicks + 3 turkeys remain
Cookie - on nest due July 1st-3rd. 28 eggs in incubator

I have 3+ doz orpington eggs just sitting on the counter AND an empty spare incubator. I've been collecting the eggs, but not sure if they're omelets or future chicks.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

I've been trying to stop for the season and didn't set any eggs last Friday. I don't have any due this week either. The next two weeks, I have a hatch due each Friday. Next Friday is shipped Brahmas and about 15 look good + some turkeys, and about 2 dozen for a friend. After that, it's just a couple more turkey eggs and peafowl if any develope. I thought I was done for the season. THEN I realized that I signed up to join in a random swap on the egg swappers Facebook page so I'll have a dozen of who knows what coming soon. But that's it! No more!

Knowing my luck, that's when the Marans will start laying and I'll have to do some test hatches from them :/ It never ends lol

 

[OneMountainAcres]

And speaking of broodies, here is my "Broody Bunch". 3 turkeys raising 2 poults lol

 

[The Farmers' Daughter]

I have never used a hovabator. I have a Little Giant, an Incuview and several Brinseas. I have TRIED to stop hatching, but during the worst of my addiction I had all of them in use. The best hatch rates are ALWAYS from the Brinseas, but it does totally depend on shipping or not. I agree, sticky chicks are too much humidity, shrink wrapping in from too little humidity. I ended up having to pump moist air into the Incuview during lock down to successfully hatch. Have you candled during incubation? Are the air cells getting bigger? How do the eggs looking at the different stages?

I said I tried to stop hatching right....well I was doing great! No baby chicks anywhere. Everyone was laying. Then, I helped a class hatch some eggs (set up the incubator, gave them fertile eggs, set up the brooder and then a cage for them, then re-homed all but 1 once they hatched).

Well then I found an auction type site and I won some eggs, then I won more eggs. I set them together 8/12 and 6/8 hatched in February, then I won 15 CHICKS, they were a few weeks older than the Feb hatch, so it took a few weeks before I could integrate them. Then I won more eggs, hatched in March. That one was a horrible hatch. I only hatched 4 of 11 eggs (also 3 of the 4 are roos). I had also given 6 of those eggs to a school to hatch, and they hatched 5 of 6, so I know the problem was in my incubator. Even those were shipped eggs, I still re-calibrated everything. Then I found a local Frizzle Polish breeder. I drove about 90 minutes to pick up those eggs. I bought 24 eggs, she gave me 30, 25 made it to lockdown, 24 hatched in April. Then a friend had me hatch some eggs for her. But I won some eggs too, I set them a week later. They were all shipped eggs, hers had 16 eggs but only 11 hatched a few weeks ago. All her chicks hatched on day 21. Mine were in the same incubator - except for the few days of the other chicks lockdown. My chicks hatched on day 22, and one hatched on day 23. Out of 26 eggs, only 15 made it to lockdown. 12 hatched, 1 had a ruptured abdomen so I culled it. So, my temps are off again, and I need to recheck everything. Or maybe I need to stay off the computer, stay away from the auctions, and stop looking at ebay.....

My name is Kathy and I am addicted to hatching eggs....it wouldn't be a problem, but I am HORRIBLE at selling off the babies.....

You're the first person I've encountered that has had issues with the IncuView. That's the incubator I've been seriously looking at. Do you think it's worthwhile to get the humidity pump then? I'm also thinking about building a refrigerbator. I'm tempted to do it with an incu kit, but I can also get everything a lot cheaper if I buy it individually on eBay.

 

[WVduckchick]

My broodies are finally dwindling, but I’m still trying to hold off turning the incubators back on. I’ve done well, haven’t hatched anything inside for over a month!
But last week a broody left an egg. Of course when I checked it, it was still alive so I put it in the new Brinsea Mini. To test it, ya know? Lol
Well it hatched this morning, so I’ll find a broody to give it to this evening.
I wasn’t good at tracking broodies this season. I just had too many!

But now I’m getting new eggs from my silkied seramas! 5 eggs yesterday from 5 hens, first time all 5 laid the same day. It’s time to swap that rooster though.

 

[Faraday40]

You're the first person I've encountered that has had issues with the IncuView. That's the incubator I've been seriously looking at. Do you think it's worthwhile to get the humidity pump then? I'm also thinking about building a refrigerbator. I'm tempted to do it with an incu kit, but I can also get everything a lot cheaper if I buy it individually on eBay.

One of the preschools purchased an Incuview this spring. I was impressed with the ease of set up, all the automatic features, and of course the great hatching view for the kids. The temp was very stable stable but the humidity required water to be added daily. The cost was much higher this year than last year when I recommended it, so the school had to go over-budget. Adding the humidity pump was not affordable, but they were very happy with the increased hatch rate and less worry. I thought about trying it out (last year) but the biggest con for me was the egg capacity vs. cost. The Hovabator / GQF is a better value (costs less, can hold more eggs, & works better than the other styrofoam brands). For my schools on a tighter budget, I always recommend
1. Borrowing an incubator (If you ask around many parents or other schools will have one sitting around) Free is always good!
2. Refrain from buying a cheap, unknown knock-off brand. It may work great for 1-2 hatches, but often things tend to break in the middle of an incubation & result in tragedy for the unit. Customer service is poor or at best unknown. Wait to read reviews from customers who have owned it for 2+ years.
3. Search for used incubators (Brinsea, Hovabator) The older GQF models with a wafer are so easy to keep going indefinitely.
4. Buy the incubator & save up for the turner the following year.

Because of safety / insurance, some schools will not permit the use of a home-made or modified incubator. For myself at home, i LOVE the cooler-bator I made. It was pretty inexpensive to make and always has great hatches. It's my #1 incubator. My donated & modified Hovabator from the 1990s is my back up incubator. I added a computer fan & enjoy the auto turner.

 

[Faraday40]

But now I’m getting new eggs from my silkied seramas! 5 eggs yesterday from 5 hens, first time all 5 laid the same day. It’s time to swap that rooster though.

Love those silkied seramas! I think you should test out your new incubator!

Here's 'Teddy' He now makes a tiny little crow and is beginning mating attempts. We're hoping he doesn't get too loud.

Here are Teddy's girlfriends: (Yes, he does try to mate that LF English orp pullet in the background.)