Incubators Anonymous

[ChickNmamma]

Quote: THANK YOU FOR THIS. For some reason it never clicked about the shoelaces .. and I hadn't had the humidity gauge in use because I was waiting until I placed a larger order to get the wick. Now that I know that - it is all setup and running and I will check and see what my humidity is in awhile once it steadies. Eggs are coming in one week, gotta get it all setup right first!

This is the most reliable incubator I've used so far. It's 60 years old, made entirely out of redwood, the tray sides are cedar, the hygrometer cistern is original, and the manual is like new. Leahy Mfg. really turned out a simple and efficient incubator. Maybe that's why they named it "Ol Favorite". I've had a consistent 98% hatch rate every time. I've never completely filled it up, it will bake 30 dozen chicken eggs at a time. I just love this thing! Not only does it work great, it looks like a piece of furniture. There's not a scratch on it. This is truly intended for the hatchaholic.

That is truly a beautiful incubator. The old redwood 'bators did great because the wood would absorb the heat and moisture and hold steady better than anything. I wish I could find one that pretty - but I found and rebuilt an old Sportsman (had to paint it though because it is plywood). I am considering putting in an inside shell with some redwood boards I have, just to use the absorbing and not rotting qualities of the redwood.

 

[Knittycat]

I too am a hatchaholic, however, I seem to run out of hatchahol. :/

 

[Runawaylobster]

Oh boy.... I just saw this and I already ordered one

let me see what it's called .....it's a rcom max 20

i'd love to hear some reviews on that one too...

 

[Runawaylobster]

I feel like small potatoes next to you Donna! what in the world are you going to DO with over 300 chicks?????

Haha.. me too and i was feeling bad for setting more 37 eggs again this week LOL ..

 

[ozexpat]

Quote:
Originally Posted by ozexpat (in red)

mark the eggs so you know any she lays can also be removed. Don't use a pencil, tried it, it wears off. I've used a grease pen to make a check mark or an X. Just make your mark lightly, and as small as possible because the eggshell is porous.

good luck

I prefer a sharpie, they are non toxic. dont know anything about grease pencils

 

[jfer]

i'd love to hear some reviews on that one too...

Well I'll let you know when it gets here and how the set up is but youtube actually has a video on it!!

 

[maryhysong]

I have that many NOW

Some are strictly for selling... got to pay for the habit right? For example I just hatched 7 Barred Rock.... 2 were blue. I will keep the blues and then only keep the pullets. I sell all the reg BR. Some I hatch everything I get and before I know it I am OVER Run with chicks of that breed. I have a project in my Rocks and I must have almost 20 pullets near laying

BUT I am only going to hatch for a little while from them and then they will be for sale. They are just the MIDDLE of what I am looking for. The next generation SHOULD produce some of what I am looking for and then I will cull the rest since I don't need them. Sometime you HAVE to way over hatch since you will only get a small percent that are what you are looking for and then you still have to work on type and SOP stuff. THEN you have all the roos. I think I have someone to take all my Sex Linked roos and someone else that takes the older ones as I find the roos.

Some of those chicks are new breeds I will be adding, some are replacement birds too, then I will sell the current breeders. MOST will be sold at some point.

I hope I don't get 300 chicks

most are shipped eggs so I would expect maybe 150 chicks from that, but I could be SOOOOO WRONG too.

ah yes, you have a lot of projects going on! My problem is not living in an agricultural type area. No livestock auctions or swaps around here to dump extra birds and roos. I eat all my extra roos. Right now I am just hatching some EE and some ducks. Waiting for my BCM to start laying, probably about June so I can set up some matings and start hatching them out. I hear you on SOP and egg color and 101 other things, especially in the BCM!

 

[LottieLou]

K incubator addicts, pls tell me if I'm doing this right. I am on day 7, first time setting eggs. I am using an LG still air with temps usually between 100.3 and 101. I was aiming for 101-101.5 but was not able to keep as stable. I am using two new digital themo/hygrometers and an old fashioned outdoor thermometer just for back up. I am basing reading off of the outdoor probe of the more expensive thermometer placed at ht of egg top. I as using probe temp as it lines up with the other two more accurately and the indoor temp of the same thermometer reads lower. I am measuring egg air cells and weighing eggs. Humidity low 50s on one high 40s reading on other thermometer. Any advice very appreciated.

 

[Bitterroot]

K incubator addicts, pls tell me if I'm doing this right. I am on day 7, first time setting eggs. I am using an LG still air with temps usually between 100.3 and 101. I was aiming for 101-101.5 but was not able to keep as stable. I am using two new digital themo/hygrometers and an old fashioned outdoor thermometer just for back up. I am basing reading off of the outdoor probe of the more expensive thermometer placed at ht of egg top. I as using probe temp as it lines up with the other two more accurately and the indoor temp of the same thermometer reads lower. I am measuring egg air cells and weighing eggs. Humidity low 50s on one high 40s reading on other thermometer. Any advice very appreciated.

I've never used a still air, but I think your temp needs to be a bit higher for those. Here's a great incubation guide:

Quote:
Good luck!

 

[Flowerbh]

So, I am in Florida visiting my daughter and I am driving down the road and I see a big flashing sign that says 37.99 and I am thinking, "Wow, that is a good incubator setting" and "Why are they putting their incubator settings on that sign?" and then I realize they are actually advertising their motel rates! ahahhahaha.....Always thinking in turns of chickens! I guess I am chicken obsessed!