Incubators Anonymous

[Chickengirl1304]

Dry hatchers!!! What do you put your humidity at for days 1-18? And lockdown? Thanks!

 

[ozexpat]

Turkeytruff.... So u put the cartons in the incubator and tilt the incubator side to side throughout the day?

how does tilting a still air incubator 45 degrees work out for you? where to you measure temps. one would think the temp gradient between the high and low point would be enough to cook the eggs.

 

[ozexpat]

Dry hatchers!!! What do you put your humidity at for days 1-18? And lockdown? Thanks!

thats a question that cannot be answered in a sentence or two. it depends on your environment as well.

read the hatching 101 article in my signature.

personally, in my room in SoCal I run 25% and 65% but adjust based on air cell development

 

[Turkeytruff]

Turkeytruff.... So u put the cartons in the incubator and tilt the incubator side to side throughout the day?

Yes small pointy end down and then side to side 3 to 5 times a day making sure it is slanted at least 60 degrees which shouldn't tip them out. Use fresh paper cartons each time. Some people cut out the flat bottoms of each cup to provide more ventilation.

 

[Turkeytruff]

how does tilting a still air incubator 45 degrees work out for you? where to you measure temps. one would think the temp gradient between the high and low point would be enough to cook the eggs.

It has a fan - an old arthritic fan that will probably die soon but it works in a groaning complaining way. Maybe it would be too much in a still one....

 

[ki4got]

Dry hatchers!!! What do you put your humidity at for days 1-18? And lockdown? Thanks!

exactly what it sounds like, for incubation. dry! I don't add any water. (averages 5-15% depending on the season) for lockdown I go 55-65% (usually closer to 55%)

 

[DMRippy]

I had a teacher contact me wanting some help with a hatch for her class. She had help from another teacher last year but this year she is all alone. I told her to bring me her bators and I would check them out and try to get them adjusted for her. One is a still air and the other one has a fan. The one with a fan has a broken section near the windows. I am going to try and repair that one as I think she will have a better hatch. They only had 2-3 chicks hatch last year. She brought her mother with her and she was way excited to see the operation. We candled some eggs she saw some that were just hatched and some that were pipping. Even got a pic of the teacher holding my BIG GSBR roo LOL.

The bators are just the styrofoam table top type. If anyone has some suggestions let me know. She has an egg turner. I have never used them before.... so clueless except they are basically like all bators.

 

[ozexpat]

I had a teacher contact me wanting some help with a hatch for her class. She had help from another teacher last year but this year she is all alone. I told her to bring me her bators and I would check them out and try to get them adjusted for her. One is a still air and the other one has a fan. The one with a fan has a broken section near the windows. I am going to try and repair that one as I think she will have a better hatch. They only had 2-3 chicks hatch last year. She brought her mother with her and she was way excited to see the operation. We candled some eggs she saw some that were just hatched and some that were pipping. Even got a pic of the teacher holding my BIG GSBR roo LOL.

The bators are just the styrofoam table top type. If anyone has some suggestions let me know. She has an egg turner. I have never used them before.... so clueless except they are basically like all bators.

incubate eggs at home simultaneously so you can swap them out at lock down

 

[DMRippy]

Quote: I already told her I would set some the same day just in case so she could have some chicks.

 

[ki4got]

I had a teacher contact me wanting some help with a hatch for her class. She had help from another teacher last year but this year she is all alone. I told her to bring me her bators and I would check them out and try to get them adjusted for her. One is a still air and the other one has a fan. The one with a fan has a broken section near the windows. I am going to try and repair that one as I think she will have a better hatch. They only had 2-3 chicks hatch last year. She brought her mother with her and she was way excited to see the operation. We candled some eggs she saw some that were just hatched and some that were pipping. Even got a pic of the teacher holding my BIG GSBR roo LOL.

The bators are just the styrofoam table top type. If anyone has some suggestions let me know. She has an egg turner. I have never used them before.... so clueless except they are basically like all bators.

if they're hovabators, they sell replacement parts for pretty cheap... the picture window top is the most expensive, around $20, if she can go with the 2 small window one, it's like $12. bottoms are even less. just move the fan and elements over to the new body and good to go. at www.gqfmfg.com I ordered a couple replacement bottoms, so I can swap out while I'm cleaning one and hatching in another. also have an incukit from incubator warehouse that I'm going to install in a picture window one for a mobile incubator (runs on 12v).