Incuview Incubator

[Ms Biddy]

Answering from a different thread:

Is this the first time you've used the dividers?

This is the second time. It's going well. I have the humidikit attached to my incubator now so I have the humidity tube in one section, the humidikit sensor in a second section and the incuview hygrometer in a third section. I feel comfortable that the humidity is being dispersed adequately throughout the incubator and I have better control. If I need to open the incubator I can bump the humidity way up to keep it in safe range for the eggs. I had to do so once because condensed water was dripping from the tube on top of one of the eggs. I didn't cut my dividers perfectly so I added flaps of folded duct tape to fill in the gaps where chicks tried to escape to other sections last time.

I'm also keeping dish towels on top to help keep the temperature stable. At the low end of the 70-80 room temperature setting, it runs cool if I don't.

I'm not sure who has seen my other threads but I had two eggs pip at day 17 and hatch on day 18. I was surprised they came so early and am relieved they made it out successfully. The increased humidity from the humidikit was very helpful because my kitchen was at 20-25% yesterday and it would have been hard to get the incubator up to 70% otherwise.

 

[Molpet]

Here you go.. a heads up on sale starting Friday through Monday 20% off ONE item...
From their FB page

Save 20% On Incubator Warehouse Products

Black Friday thru Cyber Monday ONLY

It's that time of the year again where bargain shoppers wait at the edge of their seats for the best deals of the year. We want to give back this year to our customers and help them save on a wider variety of items than ever before. Use the coupon code below to save 20% on your next Incubator Warehouse incubator, combo kit, or accessories purchase. These deals will only last from Black Friday to Cyber Monday so don't delay.

Incubator Warehouse Incubators, Combo Kits, and Accessories

IncuView All-In-One Incubator
IncuView All-In-One Egg Incubator Combo Kits (20% off all kits and variations)
Incubator Warehouse Egg Incubator Combo Kits (Excludes Brinsea products, all cabinets, and brooders)
HumidiKit Automatic Humidity System
IncuTurn Egg Turner
IncuKit XL (20% off all variations)
IncuKit Mini (20% off all variations)
IncuTherm Thermometer/Hygrometer
IncuTherm Plus Thermometer/Hygrometer
AutoCoop Coop Door Kit (20% off all variations)
AutoCoop Laylight Kit

Coupon Code = IW4DAYSALE

*(Coupon code only works for one of these items and if you have more than one of them in the cart the one you want to get the discount on needs to be the first item you put in cart.)

 

[Ms Biddy]

Thanks for posting the promo info People, if you struggle with humidity get a humidikit. They're amazing.

 

[SimoneG]

Awesome! I've been watching for a sale so I can get a second incy this just made my day!

 

[aart]

Here you go.. a heads up on sale starting Friday through Monday 20% off ONE item...
From their FB page

Yep, it was YOU got me to pull the trigger last year at this time!! Glad you did

 

[Ra_]

This seems like the best place to put my Incuview review.
My display was flickering when I got the unit.
Customer support said this happens a lot but if it bothers me they can send a new power unit. Yeah, it bothers me when I buy something new and it's defective, even though I'm not all that picky.
I didn't see how a different power source was going to affect the problem in this display but I let them send it. It did nothing to alleviate the problem. I felt like they sent me this part because it was cheaper than sending the actual defective part and this way they maintain their appearance of good customer service. Would they rather send a cheap part that does nothing to fix the problem than actually fix the more expensive actual problem?

So let's move past that. I decided, stupidly, that I would trust the readings on the Incuview for the trial run and give it a chance to prove itself. I realized too late that the actual temperature was 104 degrees, despite reading about 99.5 on the Incuview.
I sadly tossed the eggs and began again.
I was unable to adjust the temperature using the temp setting.
I was finally able to get the temp down by using the calibration function.
I have to keep it set at about +5 to maintain 99.5 degrees.
So I started more eggs, relying on my barbeque thermometer with probe.
I stuck it in my mouth and it read 98.7, so I felt confident in its accuracy.

I nested the unit in the shipping box it came in but first I filled the box with spray foam insulation. I covered the base in plastic wrap, set it on the foam and put a small weight in it to hold it down. I should have used more weight because the foam pushed the base up and out. I then carved out some of the dried foam to make the base fit nicely into the box. With this method, I was able to adjust for drastic temp changes in the room mostly just by covering or uncovering the incubator with a sweatshirt. Temps here during the hatch varied from 28 degrees, all the way up to 84 degrees and I use no central air or heat.

So on day 20, 2 chicks hatched. Then that night and yesterday, 16 more hatched!
Some seemed slow to break out after poking through the shell.
I broke the shells open for them with no fuss, no muss.
I'm thrilled. I got 18 out of 23 Rainbow Rock eggs to hatch for a 78% success rate.

Edited to add that some of the eggs were three weeks old.
I keep them in a cooler that I rock back and forth.
As for humidity, I tried to keep it between 30% and 40%, adding about an ounce of water when it dropped to 30%. At lockdown, I added a few ounces and aimed for about 50%. I opened the lid numerous times during lockdown to vent heat. I have an alarm on my thermometer that goes off at 101%.

The chicks were dry and clamoring to get out of the incubator after only an hour.
They were soon running around the brooder and eating.
Despite the display problems and erratic temp calibration, I was able to make it work.
I give the Incuview incubator four stars out of five.

 

[aart]

I stuck it in my mouth and it read 98.7, so I felt confident in its accuracy.

Oh Thanks... needed a good guffaw!
Never heard of that testing technique, but I suppose it's fairly accurate.

I use a human medical thermometer to test my thermometers.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

Glad you had a good hatch!
If the incubator controller is 5° off, I'd want a new one....think you should pursue replacement.

 

[Ra_]

Oh Thanks... needed a good guffaw!
Never heard of that testing technique, but I suppose it's fairly accurate.

Glad you had a good hatch!
If the incubator controller is 5° off, I'd want a new one....think you should pursue replacement.

Like I said, I'm not that picky.
It's hatching eggs.
Good enough.

 

[jvls1942]

as long as you know what temperature to set the incubator at to get a good hatch, the number doesn't matter at all..
I have one thermometer that I am confident with. I just match any other thermometer to it and use whatever number it reads.
do you follow what I am saying?
I have gone so far as to loosen up the glass on a thermometer and sliding it up or down to make it read at the correct number..
some dial thermometers have a nut on the back side that you can adjust the needle to the correct number.

I didn't understand your flickering light explanation.
I have indicator lights that flicker on and off as the heating element goes on and off. when it is maintaining a constant temperature the light does flicker. that's what I want it to do.

 

[Ms Biddy]

With this method, I was able to adjust for drastic temp changes in the room mostly just by covering or uncovering the incubator with a sweatshirt. Temps here during the hatch varied from 28 degrees, all the way up to 84 degrees and I use no central air or heat.

The biggest problem I have with my incuview is its inability to handle temperature swings. We have no central air or heat either. I've had to cover and uncover mine too, as well as change the room temperature setting throughout the day. You did great to manage such large temperature fluctuations.

There are lots of good things about the incuview, but its kind of a goldilocks incubator. I think most of the small incubators are, although I haven't tried all of them.

Right now I'm playing with a Turn-X from the 70's and it's a little tank. The incuview is sturdy, but the Turn-X is so heavy duty it makes the incuview seem flimsy. I have the original instructions for the Turn-X and they actually say "100% hatches can result with the incubator setting in the ice in the freezing compartment of an operating refrigerator." Unfortunately mine only holds 12 eggs, has a fidgety wafer thermostat and is nowhere near as easy to clean as an incuview, so it seems they all have pros and cons and none are perfect.