It's official- I'm the worst hatcher ever! -Updates-

[77horses]

Yep, it's official. I'm the worst hatcher ever!

No matter how hard I try, I can't get one single chicken egg to hatch in my homemade incubator.

It was really hot all last week and the bator spiked to 106*F. without me knowing, so I had to open the cover a little. The I had to go somewhere for the rest of the day and when I got back in the evening it had cooled down outside and temp. had changed to 96*F. I shut the cover all the way for the night. I woke up in the morning and it was at 101*F. Cracked the cover open so it wouldn't get too hot. It stayed around 99-100*F for the day. Outside temperature is warm so it's perfect. The next day it's colder than usual outside, so even with the cover shut and everything, the bator stays around 98*F.

I'm SOOOO frustrated with this dumb incubator!

It's a huge 100q Igloo ice chest and is suppose to keep temps. steady because it's insulated really well, but the outside temp. effects it a lot.

And I can't sit next to it all day, adjusting the cover to keep it from getting to hot or too cool.

So far we've had 1 single chick make it out alive in the bator(except the egg was incubated by a broody hen until around day 18 when she suddenly decided to not sit anymore and we moved the eggs into the bator). But we haven't had one single egg hatch after being incubated in the bator for the full 21 days.

I just had 4 eggs in it the past 3 weeks that were developing fine. 1 was a small Bantam egg and is still in there and the other 3 have been in the bottom and are really late for hatching. Two of the 3 late ones were suppose to hatch last Monday(day 21) but haven't, and the other one was suppose to hatch before that.

I was hoping for a good hatch because it's the last we were going to do for the year until next Spring, but now the results are disappointing and sad and we have no chicks, except for little Oreo who has been alone ever since she hatched.

I'm just about ready to throw this bator in the dump and give up hatching for a while and let the broody hens do it, unless I find a for sale bator that is cheap(which will probably never happen).

Sigh...I will find out if any of the 4 eggs are alive when I go to my dad's house today.

Most likely I will find that all of them died just before hatching or while developing; it turns out like that every time anyway.

 

[texascowboy1979]

Dont feel bad.. your not the worst... Ive got a hova and a GQF incubator and I still cant get one egg to hatch... Ive only been able to hatch 1 pheasant chick, but thats because I put it under a chicken...

I am determined to out smart mother nature...

Hang in there...

Were bound to get it right.

 

[texascowboy1979]

P.S...

If my other pheasant and turkey eggs go bad inside the incubators I have.. Im sticking to cheap chicken eggs until I get this sucker down.... once I have a hatch rate that is not ZERO, then ill move to other birds...

 

[austinhart123]

just buy a professional incubator and keep it inside in the a/c

 

[vkp23]

I built my incubator out of an old mini fridge. It wasn't hard to do and it holds temps and humidity very well. I have a zero hatch rate right now but that is due to the eggs being shipped eggs not because of the bator. I can grow them fine but they either quit after a week or so or they have something wrong with them and don't hatch. I believe it's due to the x-rays the PO does. Any way here is my bator.

 

[Julie08]

maybe you are a terrific hatcher just a terrible bator builder?? it's possible......... if you can buy a bator and try again. Sorry for you troubles, good luck with the next round!

 

[cassey40]

Sorry for your heartbreak, I know how you feel even though i had eggs to hatch this week, i also had to help one out this morning he was doing all he could do to get out he just couldnt do it, i had to put him under some warm water and peel egg and membrane off he is doing well when i left for work this morning.but i also have a 15 eggs that still havnt hatched yet i will see if any thing changes when i get home tonight.

 

[kartking22]

I'm sad to hear of your loss as well. Heat control is basically the only thing that you lacked in your homemade bator. People are selling electronic thermostats to control your heat on e-bay. These are selling for $30 plus to replace the old wafer style thermostats used in the older bators which is a great idea. If your wafer malfunctions your incubator will not heat. The electronic ones will turn on when it needs it.
Here's the catch......These thermostats are nothing more than a replacement thermostat for your basic water heater. LOL I priced one of these at my local high priced hardware store for $9.99. Need to get a homemade bator cheaper yet? Find an old oven with a good heating element and hook it to 120 volts instead of 220. You'd be amazed at what people throw away to make a good incubator.

 

[BlueEngineFarm]

I'm in the same boat. Last spring we put the roosters with all 40 hens and let them brood- 3 hatched- one was beat up and didn't make it, one grew well but was attacked by a hawk or dog and the last we still have- a rooster. That was out of 100 eggs. Now we tried again- lost 14, gained another rooster from a broody. The 170 eggs in the fidge-a-bator were mostly unfertilized but I'm new to candling and they are dark eggs so I had them in there for 21 days- no rottens!
We're trying again- just not on such a grand scale. Already put 2 girls with each of the 3 roosters. I did learn how to candle better.

Maybe you need some type of fan hook up or I love the water heater thermostat idea.

Lynne
"Never give up. Never give up. Never give up." Winston Churchill

 

[mulia24]

mine haven't hatch yet so can't tell anything. just hope your next will better.