Is this a stupid decision??? - leaving eggs in turner -

[GracefulBantams]

I have a Hova-Bator incubator with turbo fan and turner that I am using as the main Incubator, then I have a homemade styrofoam-box-with-light bulb one that I am using as the hatcher. Well the homemade one is doing a pretty awful job of keeping the temperature right (including a spike to 120*F

), so I decided to try just leaving all the eggs in the Hova-bator and in the turner.
I am doing a staggered hatch, so I only have the first 7 eggs in the hatcher right now, but I am afraid that I have already lost them b/c of the temperature trouble

So, if I leave them in the Hova-bator they are going to have to be continually turning in the turner. I have heard of hatches like this that worked, but... IDK...

 

[MissPrissy]

When is your hatch due?

Can you rewire the homemade bator using 2 smaller watt bulbs?

What thermostat are you using?

 

[Poison Ivy]

Can you take a couple of the turners out? I know mine are removable. Then make a card board barrier or wall to keep the chicks that hatch on one side of the bator?

 

[GracefulBantams]

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These first 7 eggs should hatch tomorrow (if I haven't already killed them!!)
But, it is all different dates after that


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Ummm... possibly.


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I am using some kind of dimmer switch, if that is what you mean.




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At first I thought "I only have one turner

" Then I realized you are probably talking about taking a couple of rows out of it

Humm... if they would come out, that might just be about the greatest idea ever

 

[rooster-red]

When the hatch is over think about wiring in a thermostat to control the heat to make it consistant, it will work much better than a dimmer switch.

 

[MissPrissy]

I agree with rooster-red. You might also consider using a wafer thermostat as opposed to the hot water heater one if you want more control over it. GQF , the makers of hovabator, have the complete thermostat assembly on their website for around $15.

 

[GracefulBantams]

Okay, thanks, you two. That would be a better setup, I am sure