Incubators Anonymous

[dblred0728]

Last night we shut down my cabinet bator to do some work on it. Before I did this I took down the readings from what it was.

First we rewired the 3 turners on separate plugs each. They were all wired in together with the fan/heater. So you could
not turn any of them off with turning the bator off.

Put some more weather stripping around the top and side of the door. Now I can throw away the wad of paper towels that was
helping with this before.

I took a bright flash light and looked in the inside while shinning it in the seams from the outside and man I saw light.
Remember it got damaged in shipping and there was even a hairline crack in the caulking on one side that I did not see before.
I didn't know how bad it was until I saw the light through it. I took that silver insulating tape and put around the seams on the outside.
I did this on the outside because #1 where the shelf supports were, there was no way I could get it in the cracks and #2 I had read that
with the tape it might not stick inside with the heat.

I fired it up and put my measuring devices exactly back like they were and now instead of going from 97.1 to 102.3 it was cutting on
at 98.0 and would go up to 100.9. I was very happy with that! Compared to when I first got it and had not clue as to what I should
go by. (I know you try for 99.5) but when your bator is going from 95-105 do you adjust up or down??? I was at first taking an average.....
But that was before I put the jeans on the top lol and the paper towels in the door.

Another thing we did was drill 3 holes on the right side of the bator for the meat probe to stick in. When I got it, it had one on the left side and
to read the gage u had to look upside down. Idk why this bothered me so much but it did. So I got 3 holes (one at the top of each tray)

There is one thing I noticed.


See above where the probe is. That's the original hole at the top of the top tray. I put one on the opposite end except in the middle of the tray (middle
from front to back) And that probe reads about 97??? But if you take the whole probe and place in the middle of the tray and close it an look thru the window it reads 99.5 exactly!!! I wonder why that is. All 3 temp readings on that right side are a bit low. But the other wireless one is at 99 and it's placed on the bottom tray in the middle too.

I've read too that if you have 3 gages you'll get 3 different readings.......

 

[ChickNmamma]

Last night we shut down my cabinet bator to do some work on it. Before I did this I took down the readings from what it was.

First we rewired the 3 turners on separate plugs each. They were all wired in together with the fan/heater. So you could
not turn any of them off with turning the bator off.

Put some more weather stripping around the top and side of the door. Now I can throw away the wad of paper towels that was
helping with this before.

I took a bright flash light and looked in the inside while shinning it in the seams from the outside and man I saw light.
Remember it got damaged in shipping and there was even a hairline crack in the caulking on one side that I did not see before.
I didn't know how bad it was until I saw the light through it. I took that silver insulating tape and put around the seams on the outside.
I did this on the outside because #1 where the shelf supports were, there was no way I could get it in the cracks and #2 I had read that
with the tape it might not stick inside with the heat.

I fired it up and put my measuring devices exactly back like they were and now instead of going from 97.1 to 102.3 it was cutting on
at 98.0 and would go up to 100.9. I was very happy with that! Compared to when I first got it and had not clue as to what I should
go by. (I know you try for 99.5) but when your bator is going from 95-105 do you adjust up or down??? I was at first taking an average.....
But that was before I put the jeans on the top lol and the paper towels in the door.

Another thing we did was drill 3 holes on the right side of the bator for the meat probe to stick in. When I got it, it had one on the left side and
to read the gage u had to look upside down. Idk why this bothered me so much but it did. So I got 3 holes (one at the top of each tray)

There is one thing I noticed.


See above where the probe is. That's the original hole at the top of the top tray. I put one on the opposite end except in the middle of the tray (middle
from front to back) And that probe reads about 97??? But if you take the whole probe and place in the middle of the tray and close it an look thru the window it reads 99.5 exactly!!! I wonder why that is. All 3 temp readings on that right side are a bit low. But the other wireless one is at 99 and it's placed on the bottom tray in the middle too.

I've read too that if you have 3 gages you'll get 3 different readings.......

Great job repairing it, sounds like it was damaged more than you thought. Much better temperature ranges!

Yes, there will be three different readings in three different areas. The most important reading is at egg level. I think the reason they usually put the meat thermometer inline with the shelf is to prevent you from hitting it accidentally. It also reads the forced air temperatures because the air is blowing directly on it. Slightly lower and you might be below the forced air current.

I put my temperature probes in and down to where the eggs are -as close as possible.

 

[gladahmae]

5 Ameraucana, 6 BBS Marans, 6 OE, and however many eggs my new breeding pen lay today (plus what I've been saving this week...looks like around 10) are all going into the Genesis tonight! I'll have to hand-turn some of them until the new turner motor gets here, but the shipped ones are just going to sit in a carton for a few days.

 

[dblred0728]

Great job repairing it, sounds like it was damaged more than you thought. Much better temperature ranges!

Yes, there will be three different readings in three different areas. The most important reading is at egg level. I think the reason they usually put the meat thermometer inline with the shelf is to prevent you from hitting it accidentally. It also reads the forced air temperatures because the air is blowing directly on it. Slightly lower and you might be below the forced air current.

I put my temperature probes in and down to where the eggs are -as close as possible.

Good thats exactly where it is! I'm going to leave it. If all temps have held today while I've been at work and look fine tonight, may put eggs in tomorrow morning!

 

[ki4got]

ok, for another dose of serious cuteness, here goes...

thank god chickens can't count. LOL



and to answer the question... before anyone asks... is 42. i think. for now?

she's got:
2 mottled cochins about 3 weeks old
1 black & white EE same age (all 3 from gilmanor)
5 sfh hatched 5/11
8 mille fleur cochins (5/11)
2 weeble EE's (5/11)
10 dark Cornish or blrw (can't tell apart, 5/11)
7 more mille fleur cochins (5/16)
7 dorking/ee (5/16)

i had today's hatch in a small bucket, sitting below the edge of the brooder while i readied the other brooder, momma's door was open (frequently stays that way). she hops up on the edge, looks down at the new babies, and immediately tried to get into the bucket to sit on them.

i asked her if she was sure, she insisted she had plenty of room for them and whatever else i hatch out in the next few days. so in they went.

 

[DMRippy]

ok, for another dose of serious cuteness, here goes...

thank god chickens can't count. LOL



and to answer the question... before anyone asks... is 42. i think. for now?

she's got:
2 mottled cochins about 3 weeks old
1 black & white EE same age (all 3 from gilmanor)
5 sfh hatched 5/11
8 mille fleur cochins (5/11)
2 weeble EE's (5/11)
10 dark Cornish or blrw (can't tell apart, 5/11)
7 more mille fleur cochins (5/16)
7 dorking/ee (5/16)

i had today's hatch in a small bucket, sitting below the edge of the brooder while i readied the other brooder, momma's door was open (frequently stays that way). she hops up on the edge, looks down at the new babies, and immediately tried to get into the bucket to sit on them.

i asked her if she was sure, she insisted she had plenty of room for them and whatever else i hatch out in the next few days. so in they went.

Let us know what her limit is. I would like to know for future reference. I hatch about 100 at a time if that is the limit I have a new plan.... but 50 would be good too. LOL

 

[Chucklecluck]

Lol you go there big mamma.pore thing is going to have wool her feathers pulled out before you know it

ok, for another dose of serious cuteness, here goes... thank god chickens can't count. LOL and to answer the question... before anyone asks... is 42. i think. for now? she's got: 2 mottled cochins about 3 weeks old 1 black & white EE same age (all 3 from gilmanor) 5 sfh hatched 5/11 8 mille fleur cochins (5/11) 2 weeble EE's (5/11) 10 dark Cornish or blrw (can't tell apart, 5/11) 7 more mille fleur cochins (5/16) 7 dorking/ee (5/16) i had today's hatch in a small bucket, sitting below the edge of the brooder while i readied the other brooder, momma's door was open (frequently stays that way). she hops up on the edge, looks down at the new babies, and immediately tried to get into the bucket to sit on them. i asked her if she was sure, she insisted she had plenty of room for them and whatever else i hatch out in the next few days. so in they went.

 

[ki4got]

Quote: if she were LF, i'd say more, since the cochins are all bantam, but she's a cochin herself, and the majority of the chicks are LF... she's already past her limit (physically). as you can see, they don't all fit.

what they do, is take turns. when someone gets cold they plow under and push someone else out for a while. at least during the day, when they come out, it's time to dig around looking for food dishes don't work, they stay perpetually upside down, sometimes on top of a chick... so the food is mixed in the shavings for them to dig for. they've also been getting some steamed veggies (chopped up a bit better than the carrots in the video the other night). the brooder is also indoors, where it stays around 72-75 or so... so no worries of babies getting chilled really. they could all pile nicely and be fine.

 

[ki4got]

Lol you go there big mamma.pore thing is going to have wool her feathers pulled out before you know it
Quote: nah, she's got plenty of feathers to go around. she's a fluffbutt cochin after all.

I should also mention, it seems to be genetic. LOL her daughter took on 30+ chicks the night before a swap, then brooded them in a tote for a 4 hour car drive, put on display so we could sell her chicks in the 40 degree weather that showed up, adopted a few more that had gotten chilled, lost a bunch to the mighty dollar and came home (another 4 hour drive) with 12 that she got to keep plus the 3 oldest ones above (she didn't like the bright white on them). she's now out in her own pen with her brood, teaching them all about digging up worms and stuff. another week or 2 they'll be able to start free ranging with her.

 

[Tammy N]

ok, for another dose of serious cuteness, here goes...

thank god chickens can't count. LOL



and to answer the question... before anyone asks... is 42. i think. for now?

she's got:
2 mottled cochins about 3 weeks old
1 black & white EE same age (all 3 from gilmanor)
5 sfh hatched 5/11
8 mille fleur cochins (5/11)
2 weeble EE's (5/11)
10 dark Cornish or blrw (can't tell apart, 5/11)
7 more mille fleur cochins (5/16)
7 dorking/ee (5/16)

i had today's hatch in a small bucket, sitting below the edge of the brooder while i readied the other brooder, momma's door was open (frequently stays that way). she hops up on the edge, looks down at the new babies, and immediately tried to get into the bucket to sit on them.

i asked her if she was sure, she insisted she had plenty of room for them and whatever else i hatch out in the next few days. so in they went.

What a Good little Girl ................ Id take her in a heart beat ,.