Incubators Anonymous

[ki4got]

Well I guess I've been lucky. I always put water in the incubator and I also do the sponge thing in the hatching time.I guess I just wanted to see what others did and get some input. I usually keep my humidity at around 40. And the last three days I crank it up to around 70 and I've had real good luck. I hatched 10 out of 12 my last time. So I guess I'll just see how it goes using that same method. Thanks all for the info.

I have a sportsman 1502 and the 1550 hatcher. hatcher stays at 55% (I let it dry when nothing's hatching) and the incubator stays right at 15-20%. this was my last hatch (local eggs not shipped)
and yes, I hatch in the trays. makes life much easier since chicks aren't scrambling the other eggs running around like nuts.
3 out of 48 not hatched. 1 was clear.

 

[ladycat]

Look what Fleming Outdoors has on clearance, in case anyone needs circulated air incubators cheap! Wait until tomorrow (Memorial Day) and shipping will be free when you use the code MDAY at checkout. http://www.flemingoutdoors.com/clearance-sale.html

 

[caesargirl]

Farm Innovators Circulated Air Incubator 2200.... Just ordered... For duck eggs.... Any opinions???? I'm very excited and looking forward to some inside hatching!

 

[PD-Riverman]

Farm Innovators Circulated Air Incubator 2200.... Just ordered... For duck eggs.... Any opinions???? I'm very excited and looking forward to some inside hatching!

Alot of Bad reviews on this incubator. Some satisfied customers but even those recommend a different thermometer. Being I personally do not own one----I can only say read the reviews and if you use it-----do not put $200 per dozen eggs in it on your first try. Good Luck!

 

[Rancher3535]

I have a sportsman 1502 and the 1550 hatcher. hatcher stays at 55% (I let it dry when nothing's hatching) and the incubator stays right at 15-20%. this was my last hatch (local eggs not shipped)
and yes, I hatch in the trays. makes life much easier since chicks aren't scrambling the other eggs running around like nuts.
3 out of 48 not hatched. 1 was clear.

You are lucky hatching in that kind of try. I just had some start to hatch in the same tray and it was a mess. Not only did the flat get messy but had chicks upside down, stuck on the tips of the egg holder and other things. To me just not worth it. I would rather use the hatching tray so the egg can hatch naturally on it's side. I have four sportsmans and use one each week to set eggs in and hatch. Then it gives me a week to clean and sterilize the incubator, trays and egg holding flats.

 

[ki4got]

Quote:
been hatching in the trays like that for a long time, before I even GOT a sportsman. I've always hatched upright. occasionally i'll get a chick wedged sideways but not often, even then they usually right themselves before I open the hatcher.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have four sportsmans and use one each week to set eggs in and hatch. Then it gives me a week to clean and sterilize the incubator, trays and egg holding flats.

Everyone has their way of doing things------Ki4got likes to hatch in a egg rack----You and "I" would never do that---LOL. You got 4 sportsmans and hatch one out every week then have to clean it after each hatch. I got 4 cabinet incubators and one big hatcher and some smaller---- My main incubator has been running for close a year and has never been turned off or cleaned because I never hatch in it--one of my other cabinets(Dickies) has been running for several months and has not been turned off or cleaned-----They are as clean as they were when I started using them-----never hatched in them. Sure I clean the hatcher weekly between hatches-----cleaning the incubator----with them turning racks etc seems like alot of work to me, plus I can not even touch the inside of the back behind the turner rack to clean that area if I had too-----My hatcher----I can get inside it good to clean it-------so we all do things different----but there is one thing we all seem to be doing that is the same------hatching chicks!!!.

 

[country blossom]

today is day twenty four of incubation after reading and researching I read that before I just toss them I should examine the chick and try and determine what went wrong. I just opened my first egg at the end of the air cell just to see if I saw movement I didn't so I preceded to open the membrane and I saw the chick moving I was so horrified I didn't know what to do so I put it back in the incubator I literally killed that chick now I'm scared that they all might be still alive tomorrow will be day 25 any suggestions ? I have four thermometers which seem to be accurate because they all read the same I have two trays of water with sponges in them I don't know what to do

 

[caesargirl]

today is day twenty four of incubation after reading and researching I read that before I just toss them I should examine the chick and try and determine what went wrong. I just opened my first egg at the end of the air cell just to see if I saw movement I didn't so I preceded to open the membrane and I saw the chick moving I was so horrified I didn't know what to do so I put it back in the incubator I literally killed that chick now I'm scared that they all might be still alive tomorrow will be day 25 any suggestions ? I have four thermometers which seem to be accurate because they all read the same I have two trays of water with sponges in them I don't know what to do

find the users Ladyisadora and Lacrystol..... They can walk you through this...
@Lacrystol

 

[PD-Riverman]

today is day twenty four of incubation after reading and researching I read that before I just toss them I should examine the chick and try and determine what went wrong. I just opened my first egg at the end of the air cell just to see if I saw movement I didn't so I preceded to open the membrane and I saw the chick moving I was so horrified I didn't know what to do so I put it back in the incubator I literally killed that chick now I'm scared that they all might be still alive tomorrow will be day 25 any suggestions ? I have four thermometers which seem to be accurate because they all read the same I have two trays of water with sponges in them I don't know what to do

Just sit tight for another day. Question----do you count the day you put the eggs in the incubator as day 0 ---the next day as day 1?

What kind of incubator are you using----does it have a fan in it?
What temp do you keep it set on?
Did anything happen during the incubation like the electricity power go off for some time, etc?

I hatch 1000's and 1000's and one time I had eggs to hatch on day 22/23. I used a new/different incubator than my normal one----which has its own thermometer----and it was that one that the eggs hatched on day 22/early 23. I put a thermometer in my main incubator for a couple hours----then moved it to this new one. The temp was 1.6 degrees lower----so I calibrated the thermostat and now all the chicks hatch on day 20/21 like normal. My other cabinets that I added recently are checked with my main one to get their temp set the same------all hatch the same time now.

Delayed hatching can be caused by several things but most of the time its because the temp has been to low. The longer a egg takes to hatch can lead to weaker chicks, defects etc.

If you feel everything was done correctly----I would suggest you up the temp a little for your nest hatch.

As far as these eggs------If you Know for a fact that you are not off on your days----I would give them another day---after that------""""I"""" would feed the unhatched/unpipped eggs to the hogs and re-group/re-set up for the next batch. Good Luck