Incubators Anonymous

[DMRippy]

Well I have become the Crazy Chicken Lady of Claypool. I bought a Robert Bradley bator; as far as I can tell essentially the same as a FarmMaster; probably originally held 300=400 eggs. The bottom tray was modified with hatching baskets, so there is no room for a middle tray. Probably a good thing

Finally figured out how to run it and moved 10 buff orpington eggs over to it from a borrowed styrobator. They are due on Sat. I have had a bit of a time getting the humidity up, tho I think some of it may be that the wood is sucking some of it up. Humidity here at the moment is only about 16% (outside and in my house). I have shallow trays with sponges in the top and while when I first fill them it jumps to 31% in a couple hours it's down to 25% even tho most of the water is still there. I've just added a foam meat tray with water in it in the bottom, under the eggs, so maybe that will help. If I need to I"ll drape wet dish towels over the hatching baskets!

Still in the styrobator are 8 more BO and 7 Welsh Harelequin duck eggs. Collecting more duck eggs and some EE and OE this week. I have a feeling tho that it won't take too long before I've filled this bator up!

Welcome to our little thread... you will fit right in.

 

[ChickNmamma]

Yeah that is him! I got my EGGS TODAY!

Only 2 were broken.... one was not crushed it was cracked into just like you do when making eggs the other had a nice dent in it. I will candle them tomorrow and make sure not other cracks. Only one egg had egg on it. I figured since the box was leaking it was a lost cause.... but it was pretty good!

BTW I lost my Blue Copper Marans Roo today

I have back up roos so no loss of fertility on eggs but still he was pretty.

I am sorry about your rooster, he was very nice looking. Love that lacing in the blue.

I enjoy reading about your hatching exploits, it tides me over until I get my incubator fixed up again. I have sanded it and tried to paint it, but it started hailing and the temperatures dropped, so I quit. Maybe it will be nicer tomorrow

 

[DMRippy]

Thanks I have lots of babies from him

I just set 3 doz from him the other day... what did I have to lose... they may not be fertile but I tried.

Hope you get some pretty weather soon to work on it. It has been raining and snowing.... just messy the last few days here too.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I do that if I lose a roo, or if I process one.

 

[maryhysong]

Welcome to our little thread... you will fit right in.

Thanks DMRippy; These first few hatches are mostly for me; then I'm hatching to sell. No one in my area hatches and chicks are only available at the feed store for a few weeks and the selection is limited. So I think I won't have too much trouble selling the extras.

 

[Dahlisgrams]

Basques and Brabanters in lockdown in the wonky incubator.. no trouble holding hatching temps, thankfully!

 

[Flowerbh]

Yeah that is him! I got my EGGS TODAY! Only 2 were broken.... one was not crushed it was cracked into just like you do when making eggs the other had a nice dent in it. I will candle them tomorrow and make sure not other cracks. Only one egg had egg on it. I figured since the box was leaking it was a lost cause.... but it was pretty good! BTW I lost my Blue Copper Marans Roo today I have back up roos so no loss of fertility on eggs but still he was pretty.

We lost our Blue Copper Madams 2 weeks ago. Still don't know why he died! So sad for the both of us.

 

[ki4got]

Well I have become the Crazy Chicken Lady of Claypool. I bought a Robert Bradley bator; as far as I can tell essentially the same as a FarmMaster; probably originally held 300=400 eggs. The bottom tray was modified with hatching baskets, so there is no room for a middle tray. Probably a good thing

Finally figured out how to run it and moved 10 buff orpington eggs over to it from a borrowed styrobator. They are due on Sat. I have had a bit of a time getting the humidity up, tho I think some of it may be that the wood is sucking some of it up. Humidity here at the moment is only about 16% (outside and in my house). I have shallow trays with sponges in the top and while when I first fill them it jumps to 31% in a couple hours it's down to 25% even tho most of the water is still there. I've just added a foam meat tray with water in it in the bottom, under the eggs, so maybe that will help. If I need to I"ll drape wet dish towels over the hatching baskets!

Still in the styrobator are 8 more BO and 7 Welsh Harelequin duck eggs. Collecting more duck eggs and some EE and OE this week. I have a feeling tho that it won't take too long before I've filled this bator up!

personally, if it's a wood 'bator, i would hold off using it, and put severall good coats of polyurethane or varnish of some sort on the interior, to keep the wood from soaking up the humidity. (let it cure for a couple weeks in an open area with the door wide open, to prevent any fumes, then run it for a few days to a week to make sure the coating has cured and is still not producing any more fumes.

 

[louisianarednek]

I need help when I go to sleep my room gets cold and my little giant drops down to like 97 what should I do

 

[ChickNmamma]

I need help when I go to sleep my room gets cold and my little giant drops down to like 97 what should I do

Buy a bigger incubator

Seriously - I bought a sportsman incubator because I can't keep the temperatures steady at my house.

I hope you haven't set any eggs and are just testing the incubator. Anything you do you will have to adjust the temperatures and check if they stay steady for 4 days before putting any eggs in there.

You can put your incubator in a closet and try an keep the external temperatures steady - you can build a box to put around it and insulate it to try and keep the temperatures steady (you will need to leave air intake areas). You can put it in the bathroom with the heater running to keep it steady.

I tried twice to incubate in my house - both times had dismal hatches because I couldn't hold the temperatures steady. It is why I don't use my Styrofoam incubator any more