Incuview - Incubating Flat, Hatching Upright?

Wow, yeah, I hope it's fixable. To the best of my knowledge, neither of the two of my Incuviews (both of which I used all spring this year) ever did that. I had read about corners being a bit different in temps (someone with way too much time did extensive measurements to find this out, but I can't remember if they were hotter or cooler-- it's in the Incuview Review thread... which is a long one). Anyways, because of that knowledge, I've always taken time to move my numbered eggs around the incubator several times in the 18 day period before lockdown. I've always tossed about 4-6 eggs per hatch for failure to thrive, but I never put that down to temp fluctuations. I think it was more likely humidity issues. I only this year hit the sweet spot of a 40%-50% humidity as being right for my house/area.
 
Wow, yeah, I hope it's fixable. To the best of my knowledge, neither of the two of my Incuviews (both of which I used all spring this year) ever did that. I had read about corners being a bit different in temps (someone with way too much time did extensive measurements to find this out, but I can't remember if they were hotter or cooler-- it's in the Incuview Review thread... which is a long one). Anyways, because of that knowledge, I've always taken time to move my numbered eggs around the incubator several times in the 18 day period before lockdown. I've always tossed about 4-6 eggs per hatch for failure to thrive, but I never put that down to temp fluctuations. I think it was more likely humidity issues. I only this year hit the sweet spot of a 40%-50% humidity as being right for my house/area.

Thanks! I'll check that out in the IncuView review thread. I've read a few posts there but not all of them. :) I considered doing that too, moving them around, when there were just small fluctuations but then I thought it was too risky with my klutziness. Now at the temperature it hit, there's probably no point. But we'll be happy if even just a couple hatch. :)

My daughter has some broken bones from a hiking fall and we're doing this project to help pass the time while she's healing. :) That's cool you number them. I love details. We have them all coded with numbers beside the breed initials the breeder put on them, and the weight. We also keep records of all data and temperatures. She named them silly "temporary names", knowing they might not be fertile or survive. But it's fun and it helps in recording weights and details. She also decided that hearts and smiley faces on the eggs are better than X's and O's, we do one hand turn a day, and it makes me smile every time I see them. :)
 
Wow, yeah, I hope it's fixable. To the best of my knowledge, neither of the two of my Incuviews (both of which I used all spring this year) ever did that. I had read about corners being a bit different in temps (someone with way too much time did extensive measurements to find this out, but I can't remember if they were hotter or cooler-- it's in the Incuview Review thread... which is a long one). Anyways, because of that knowledge, I've always taken time to move my numbered eggs around the incubator several times in the 18 day period before lockdown. I've always tossed about 4-6 eggs per hatch for failure to thrive, but I never put that down to temp fluctuations. I think it was more likely humidity issues. I only this year hit the sweet spot of a 40%-50% humidity as being right for my house/area.

I forgot to ask you if you fill yours with 27 eggs?

I haven't figured out if my humidity will work but I keep it between 45-50% with the outer water tray half full and the vent a crack open. I have to open the vent all the way for an hour or two after adding water.

I'm in a humid area but I have it shut in a bedroom with stable room temperature and lower humidity. Sometimes it sneaks in when we enter the room. One day the humidity rose to 82% when I opened the incubator to hand turn. Most days aren't that humid but I don't open the incubator right after opening the door now. :)
 
Awwww! What a great project for your daughter. Kudos to you, Mom!

We live in the mountains of WV and I incubate February to May, so I avoid summer humidity--which, in the mountains, isn't high anyways. I use a pretty good analog humidistat (digital ones are unreliable in the extreme) meant for cigar humididores.

Yep; I fill it up with 27 each time. I number them so I can keep track of their weights and positions. Also, I order them by first hatched, etc. since I used to not have enough hens to fill the 'bator in one day. This will change next year. I'm right now shopping for a cabinet incubator because I'm going to get into selling chicks in 2018. I raised 60 SPR chicks this year and plan to cull down to 15 hens and three roos. So, I'll probably not be as detailed with hatching next year.

Incubator Warehouse is re-launching Incuview XL and I'm strongly considering it, as well as a Dickey brand. We'll see! The XL has "roller" turners like the smaller Incuview, and a clear top with a hatcher tray. (I was bold enough to suggest that they make this a hatchers DRAWER with the ability to control humidity separately. THAT would be awesome!
 
Awwww! What a great project for your daughter. Kudos to you, Mom!

We live in the mountains of WV and I incubate February to May, so I avoid summer humidity--which, in the mountains, isn't high anyways. I use a pretty good analog humidistat (digital ones are unreliable in the extreme) meant for cigar humididores.

Yep; I fill it up with 27 each time. I number them so I can keep track of their weights and positions. Also, I order them by first hatched, etc. since I used to not have enough hens to fill the 'bator in one day. This will change next year. I'm right now shopping for a cabinet incubator because I'm going to get into selling chicks in 2018. I raised 60 SPR chicks this year and plan to cull down to 15 hens and three roos. So, I'll probably not be as detailed with hatching next year.

Incubator Warehouse is re-launching Incuview XL and I'm strongly considering it, as well as a Dickey brand. We'll see! The XL has "roller" turners like the smaller Incuview, and a clear top with a hatcher tray. (I was bold enough to suggest that they make this a hatchers DRAWER with the ability to control humidity separately. THAT would be awesome!

That must be beautiful there! I want an analog hydrometer also, but I got the dual one from Incubator warehouse since it had good reviews. A cabinet incubator sounds like so much fun! So does selling chicks, if you don't get too attached to them. :) I haven't heard of the XL yet, is it a cabinet incubator? It sounds great, a hatcher tray is a good addition but yeah a drawer would be wonderful. :) What does a Silver Pencil Rock look like? Are they related to a Barred Rock?
 
I started with that dual hygrometer, and ruined it in my first Incuview hatch because wet chicks sat on it. Here's a tip: when you get to lockdown, take out the hygrometer and fill all the bottom water trays. Also put a clean large sponge or two (or, what I use is a large square of craft felt) in the back to fill the crack between the turning tray (leave it in but turn off the turner). Then, close the lid and gauge humidity by the amount of condensation you see on the lid in the first few hours of lockdown (so start around 4 PM). You want just a hint of moisture showing on the lower regions of the lid, ideally all the way around. If you see a lot of condensation, you really should open the lid to let it out. If you don't see any, take a large syringe (we have them from inoculating larger animals, but you can use ones for giving kids medicine) attached to some air tubing (found in fish section at pet stores) and, feeding the air hose through the vent hole, squirt water on the sponge/felt until its saturated. Then observe again. Over the three days of lockdown, you can add water, but not take it away, and a lot depends on your ambient humidity. So try for the low end in the beginning. Remember that the vent stays fully open.

Yes, SPRs are a beautiful color variant of the Plymouth Rock. They are rare, sweet, great layers, not flighty, excellent foragers, not readily picked off by hawks, etc. They will go broody and are excellent Mom's, but they are easy to break of broodiness, too. Rooster colors are dramatic and beautiful. I will post pictures if you want, or you can Google them.
 
I started with that dual hygrometer, and ruined it in my first Incuview hatch because wet chicks sat on it. Here's a tip: when you get to lockdown, take out the hygrometer and fill all the bottom water trays. Also put a clean large sponge or two (or, what I use is a large square of craft felt) in the back to fill the crack between the turning tray (leave it in but turn off the turner). Then, close the lid and gauge humidity by the amount of condensation you see on the lid in the first few hours of lockdown (so start around 4 PM). You want just a hint of moisture showing on the lower regions of the lid, ideally all the way around. If you see a lot of condensation, you really should open the lid to let it out. If you don't see any, take a large syringe (we have them from inoculating larger animals, but you can use ones for giving kids medicine) attached to some air tubing (found in fish section at pet stores) and, feeding the air hose through the vent hole, squirt water on the sponge/felt until its saturated. Then observe again. Over the three days of lockdown, you can add water, but not take it away, and a lot depends on your ambient humidity. So try for the low end in the beginning. Remember that the vent stays fully open.

Yes, SPRs are a beautiful color variant of the Plymouth Rock. They are rare, sweet, great layers, not flighty, excellent foragers, not readily picked off by hawks, etc. They will go broody and are excellent Mom's, but they are easy to break of broodiness, too. Rooster colors are dramatic and beautiful. I will post pictures if you want, or you can Google them.

They sound wonderful! I'd love pictures of them if you have some.

I have my Hygrometer gorilla taped up against the back corner on the turner side so only two eggs are close to it. I plan to make more room around it after I remove infertile eggs. It's very humid here on the coast so I'll need to watch the humidity.

Good news about the eggs, the IncuView tech told me they should be ok since the tray kept moving them away from the hot zone. I raised the turner to 8x/day (from 6) so now it moves a little every 45 minutes instead of hourly. I also unplugged the machine for 30 seconds after that and haven't been having problems since. Just small fluctuations which the tech said is normal. So hopefully they'll be ok. He also said to keep the vent open like you said, so thanks :) and also to keep the sensor aimed down as close under where it is attached as I can. So far that's working.

I wish that information was in the manual for those of us who have never used an incubator. :)
 
Here's one of our adult Roos. Predators got our best one late last spring, thankfully at the end of hatching season when all his breeding duties were completed. This is our backup Roo until our 35 cockerels are old enough to choose among. He's starting to molt, so he looks kinda ragged.

I'll have to post from a different device for hens.

Glad you got your Incuview glitches sorted!
 

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Here's one of our adult Roos. Predators got our best one late last spring, thankfully at the end of hatching season when all his breeding duties were completed. This is our backup Roo until our 35 cockerels are old enough to choose among. He's starting to molt, so he looks kinda ragged.

I'll have to post from a different device for hens.

Glad you got your Incuview glitches sorted!

He's beautiful! That's sad about your other rooster. Wow 35 crowing cockerels, lucky you. :)
 
I have an Incuview also. Two hatches so far. 100% on our own chicken eggs. And 83% on some shipped Coturnix. I also noticed high temps in the corners. Up to 103 sometimes. After the two great hatches, I figured that somehow it balances out like the Incuview tech told you. We are hatching another batch of Coturnix right now and I'm not even checking the corner temps this time.
I think your hatch will go fine. The incubator seems to work great even with the uneven temp distribution.
 

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