Information on incubators?

[mrl8810]

I've gotten into wanting to hatch some baby chicks...I've tried everyway that i can to let it happen naturally with the mom and it always ends up with a snake or rat eating them...I've tried 1/4 inch hardware cloth etc I truly don't know what else to do. Out of about 10 babies that hatched overtime(possibly more) only one lived.

I found an incubator that a family member had and purchased it but I don't think that its performing the way that it should...I got a thermometer/hygrometer and it sits in the same place during the day...its not near a window...but it sometimes reads 98...it sometimes reads 100...it sometimes reads 102...the humidty drops and rises...so I'm thinking that there's something wrong with the incubator as it looks to be an older foam one.

I saw there there are incubators with digital buttons on them....instead of having to increase/decrease the temp etc all during the day....if i buy one with digital numbers nad such on it can i just put in that i want it to stay at 100.5 and the humidty about 55-65 and it just keeps it there itself...or do i need to keep adjusting with all incubators?

Also would someone recommend a good incubator that's not going to break the bank...the guy at tractor supply said a really good incubator with a high hatch rate would cost about 400-1200 dollars....that's kind of a lot for me.

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

@Kiki

 

[Kiki]

I've gotten into wanting to hatch some baby chicks...I've tried everyway that i can to let it happen naturally with the mom and it always ends up with a snake or rat eating them...I've tried 1/4 inch hardware cloth etc I truly don't know what else to do. Out of about 10 babies that hatched overtime(possibly more) only one lived.

I found an incubator that a family member had and purchased it but I don't think that its performing the way that it should...I got a thermometer/hygrometer and it sits in the same place during the day...its not near a window...but it sometimes reads 98...it sometimes reads 100...it sometimes reads 102...the humidty drops and rises...so I'm thinking that there's something wrong with the incubator as it looks to be an older foam one.

I saw there there are incubators with digital buttons on them....instead of having to increase/decrease the temp etc all during the day....if i buy one with digital numbers nad such on it can i just put in that i want it to stay at 100.5 and the humidty about 55-65 and it just keeps it there itself...or do i need to keep adjusting with all incubators?

Also would someone recommend a good incubator that's not going to break the bank...the guy at tractor supply said a really good incubator with a high hatch rate would cost about 400-1200 dollars....that's kind of a lot for me.

Any help would be much appreciated.

The number one rule is to never trust a built-in temperature reading or humidity reading on an incubator.

Always purchase at least one separate thermometer to calibrate so you will know for sure if the incubator is running hot.

You would adjust the temperature based on your calibrated thermometer and not the incubator reading itself.



I use a cheap styrofoam incubator and I have excellent hatch rates.

 

[mrl8810]

The number one rule is to never trust a built-in temperature reading or humidity reading on an incubator.

Always purchase at least one separate thermometer to calibrate so you will know for sure if the incubator is running hot.

You would adjust the temperature based on your calibrated thermometer and not the incubator reading itself.



I use a cheap styrofoam incubator and I have excellent hatch rates.

Any idea why the numbers would be fluctuating so much?

 

[The Moonshiner]

My number one rule is get it correct and leave it alone.
You don't want to keep readjusting it every time the temp changes a degree.

 

[mrl8810]

My number one rule is get it correct and leave it alone.
You don't want to keep readjusting it every time the temp changes a degree.

If it gets down to 98 degrees or up to 102-103 should I leave it?

 

[The Moonshiner]

102 or 103 can kill them.
I'd be helpful to know what incubator and model you're using. I use the older model hovabators. They're wafer thermostats. No buttons. It's a little bent piece of metal you turn one direction to increase or the other direction to decrease.
I've had excellent results with that type of thermostats but they can be touchy. A small turn can change it a few degrees so if it drops to 98° and you tweak it a bit you can easily over do it and end up too high. Then you try to bump it back down and it gets too low.
It's just a never ending deal and the eggs pay the price.
Before eggs go in yes get a good thermometer and adjust it slowly. Adjust, let it run for a half a hour or so and adjust it again. I usually get mine to where it hits 100° and then the indicator light goes out. I'd rather it dip a little low then too high.
Get it where you want it and then leave it alone. Let it run a day checking it often. I usually watch what the temp is when the light goes on and then when it goes out.
I keep track of both temps and check it several times to see if they're always about the same.
If those temps don't match or if the difference is more then about two degrees then I figure there's an issue.

 

[mrl8810]

102 or 103 can kill them.
I'd be helpful to know what incubator and model you're using. I use the older model hovabators. They're wafer thermostats. No buttons. It's a little bent piece of metal you turn one direction to increase or the other direction to decrease.
I've had excellent results with that type of thermostats but they can be touchy. A small turn can change it a few degrees so if it drops to 98° and you tweak it a bit you can easily over do it and end up too high. Then you try to bump it back down and it gets too low.
It's just a never ending deal and the eggs pay the price.
Before eggs go in yes get a good thermometer and adjust it slowly. Adjust, let it run for a half a hour or so and adjust it again. I usually get mine to where it hits 100° and then the indicator light goes out. I'd rather it dip a little low then too high.
Get it where you want it and then leave it alone. Let it run a day checking it often. I usually watch what the temp is when the light goes on and then when it goes out.
I keep track of both temps and check it several times to see if they're always about the same.
If those temps don't match or if the difference is more then about two degrees then I figure there's an issue.

I’m not sure what it is. It looks old and dirty. It goes from 98-102 during the days without me touching it. That’s why I thought there may be an issue

 

[The Moonshiner]

Ok that's an older model little giant.
IMO they're junk. I've always had the same issue with multiple ones. Get them set and running steady then next thing you know they're spiking to 102 or 103 and everything dies.
@Kiki swears she has great hatches so I'll let her try and help.