Incubators Anonymous

[gander007]

Quote:
Yes I have heard this same statement before from the teachers and staff and that is why a recorder of the room temps need to be checked before the incubation starts I did learn this from one of the science teachers who has a 24 hour temperature recorder and the rooms do need to be calibrated and the incubator needs to be placed in the most consistent temp stable part of the room but here in the desert it is the heating not the cooling we are looking for and every clement makes a big difference in what needs to be controlled .....

The best time around here is Oct to Dec then Feb to April for the most stable temps in the class room with out heating or cooling .....

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
Yes I have heard this same statement before from the teachers and staff and that is why a recorder of the room temps need to be checked before the incubation starts I did learn this from one of the science teachers who has a 24 hour temperature recorder and the rooms do need to be calibrated and the incubator needs to be placed in the most consistent temp stable part of the room but here in the desert it is the heating not the cooling we are looking for and every clement makes a big difference in what needs to be controlled .....

The best time around here is Oct to Dec then Feb to April for the most stable temps in the class room with out heating or cooling .....

one thing I might suggest is to build a cabinet to keep the incubator in. insulated with foam board and allowing for some ventilation, that would minimize any drastic temp changes just by adding that extra level.

 

[Bazy]

Thanks so much for your input...so should I wrap a towel around the seam before going home each day to avoid temps falling at night? My bators are still air.

Yes, I would do that. I personally try to keep the small and large vents on the top free of the towels though. One towel doesnt' go all the way around so I put socks (lol!) on the last front edge. To keep the vent hole free. I keep one vent plugged until lockdown.

 

[Bazy]

Yes, I would do that. I personally try to keep the small and large vents on the top free of the towels though. One towel doesnt' go all the way around so I put socks (lol!) on the last front edge. To keep the vent hole free. I keep one vent plugged until lockdown.

Oh, and that is if your temps FALL at night! If they climb due to no air conditioning, you need to do the opposite....stay late..very late one night and regulate your incubator to the ambient temp..then add the towels when the air conditioning is turned on in the morning! I'm sure you figured this out!

 

[calichicken]

Yes, I would do that. I personally try to keep the small and large vents on the top free of the towels though. One towel doesnt' go all the way around so I put socks (lol!) on the last front edge. To keep the vent hole free. I keep one vent plugged until lockdown.

Oh, and that is if your temps FALL at night! If they climb due to no air conditioning, you need to do the opposite....stay late..very late one night and regulate your incubator to the ambient temp..then add the towels when the air conditioning is turned on in the morning! I'm sure you figured this out!

Ok thanks! And yes...the day temps dropping is what worries be because it is so COLD in my room with airconditioning...ugh!!!! My thought is that if I have it regulated to correct temp during the day with airconditioning...then they might be getting to hot when it kicks off

Gonna have to stay and figure that out when I get ready to hatch with my class...usually april

 

[calichicken]

Yes I have heard this same statement before from the teachers and staff and that is why a recorder of the room temps need to be checked before the incubation starts I did learn this from one of the science teachers who has a 24 hour temperature recorder and the rooms do need to be calibrated and the incubator needs to be placed in the most consistent temp stable part of the room but here in the desert it is the heating not the cooling we are looking for and every clement makes a big difference in what needs to be controlled .....

The best time around here is Oct to Dec then Feb to April for the most stable temps in the class room with out heating or cooling .....

That's what I am going to do in the spring...thank you for your help

 

[calichicken]

one thing I might suggest is to build a cabinet to keep the incubator in. insulated with foam board and allowing for some ventilation, that would minimize any drastic temp changes just by adding that extra level

Would I be able to keep the top with the observation window uncovered..or that would defeat the purpose? I would like my students to be able to observe the eggs

 

[gander007]

Quote:
Yes I have heard this same statement before from the teachers and staff and that is why a recorder of the room temps need to be checked before the incubation starts I did learn this from one of the science teachers who has a 24 hour temperature recorder and the rooms do need to be calibrated and the incubator needs to be placed in the most consistent temp stable part of the room but here in the desert it is the heating not the cooling we are looking for and every clement makes a big difference in what needs to be controlled .....

The best time around here is Oct to Dec then Feb to April for the most stable temps in the class room with out heating or cooling .....

one thing I might suggest is to build a cabinet to keep the incubator in. insulated with foam board and allowing for some ventilation, that would minimize any drastic temp changes just by adding that extra level.

Yes a very good idea .....

 

[TeaChick]

I wouldn't do it. Not from a hatchery. They charge you up to $4 an egg plus shipping and don't guarantee anything. I'd check your state thread on the Social section of BYC and tell people what you want. I hatched 2 out of 13 this hatch and am disappointed. I have gotten much higher rates but you can't calculate any hatching. I've had 2 batches with only 2 out of 13-14. The other batches were 11 out of 14 and 11 out of 18. Both of those come from DMRippy. The Sapphires super blue egg layers. My girls will start laying in about 2 more months. Love blue eggs.

Thanks for the advice!!! =)
Is DMRippy a BYCer?
I like the idea of blue eggs; I'll have to look into getting some Sapphires. I'm also thinking about blue, green, etc. =)

I ordered eggs from south Carolina mailed to Pennsylvania. I hatched 26 out of 30, and I had only ordered a dozen.

Now that's chicken math!!! 12 eggs ordered = 26 chicks hatched! That's a hatch rate of 216%!!!

JK. 26 out of 30 is a great hatch rate, especially on shipped eggs.

I haven't had much luck with shipped eggs at all. It seems like half develop but then become quitters

But I am wondering if it is because they were shipped in the heat of summer??? IDK

I would definitely try local source first. Next time I try shipped, I will avoid the hotter months and try a source closer to home.

I'm beginning to think that I need to nail down my incubating before I start trying to use shipped eggs...

 

[Bazy]

Now that's chicken math!!! 12 eggs ordered = 26 chicks hatched! That's a hatch rate of 216%!!!

JK. 26 out of 30 is a great hatch rate, especially on shipped eggs.

That is the funniest chicken math equation EVER!!!!