Just unplugged my Brinsea eco 20...

[Fat Daddy]

Well its been 3 months since my Brinsea eco 20 has been unplugged. I moved the last batch of Butler bobs to the hatcher Wednesday for lock down. I ran a LOT of eggs thru it and it has been flawless. Net results to date...

50 Georgia Giants from Tennessee , all but 13 glowed @ 10 day candling, 9 in the pen...

3O Butler bobs from Oregon, shipped in a blizzard, 18 candled viable, 14 in the pen.

48 Butlers bobs from texas, 34 candled viable @ 10 days, 25 in the pen.

36 coturnix from Buttercup, 23 hatched, 22 in the pen.

45 Butlers from JJ, 31 candled viable @ 10 days, 28 in the brooder this morning

The first Georgia Giants were set in mid Jan. fertility rate was poor and the shipping was hard them too. Took a long time to get here. Bottom line, I dont see its the breeder's fault. All and all, I feel like the little bator cranked out a better than average hatch rate. I am well pleased with it.

The only issue I ran into, was mine has a hard time keeping the humidity up with the vent open much at all. If I fill both wells and pinch the vent down pretty tight, I can maintain a RH of just under 60%. which would work fine even if I used it to hatch from. I feel the top just does not fit air tight and it sucks air more than some do. I have had discussions with others that have the same issues but all worked out as mine did. Pinch down the vent and keep the wells full, all is good. Temp is simply set it and dont touch it again...

I feel the little bators design makes it simple to pile in eggs and run staggered hatches. I at times, had eggs stacked and cycled them in and out to the hatcher as needed and it was easy. JJ does this a lot, with a fleet of bators, if I understand him right.

It looks like mine gets a 2\\3 week "cooling off" break till the coturnix start laying good... Bill

 

[jm93030]

From which of al this vendors or breeders will you order again? If you wanted to hatch

 

[Fat Daddy]

JJ would be my 1st choice. I feel I know him. He worked with me to get my eggs exactly when I wanted them, great hatch rate, lots of extras. To be fair, JJ is the only regular on the quail board that I tried thou. Im sure most would treat you well. Buttercup will not sell eggs, those were the co-op deal that is on going.

The other breeders were mostly off ebay and a shot in the dark. I feel satisfied with all egg purchases I mentioned. There was surely some luck involved. None are grown so its hard to say what I will end up with when there grown. Hence so many vendors, I can pick the really big birds and eat the rest.... Not a real complex plan but I like raising quail and they eat good, so I win either way. Bill

 

[OzawkieBantams]

Sounds Like tomorrow you need to throw some Chukar eggs in it. I know I was supposed to bring then by ,but I have been really really busy with some family issues,but I will call you tomorrow. I am still having Bator problems, I hope to order one of those Bill.

Daren

 

[stacyh]

Did yours always hatch on the correct day - like right on time? Mine are due to hatch tomorrow evening and no sign of hatching yet. We are still about 27 hours away but I am getting nervous.

 

[Fat Daddy]

Quote:
This batch hatched 13 hrs early, all with in about 6 hrs time. The last batch, same bator temp, same hatcher temp, almost 24 hrs late. Both good hatch rate. Only the quail know why. But once you see pips start, look for chicks with in about 24 hrs, most of the time...Bill

 

[stacyh]

The 1st one has hatched - around 26 hours early. I guess that means more are on the way. We are hatching bobwhite quail. I have been going by the brinsea thermometer in the bator but have had the acu-rite thermometer / humidity gauge in there off and on and it almost always has it at 99 degrees. I'm sure your bator is happy to have a break

You might be able to take a break yourself. These little chicks sure require lots of attention.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Brinsea ECO is a great little bator I got one, but it is not very suitable for hatching gamebirds (humidity problems at hatch due to size and design). So I INCUBATE mine in Brinsea then switch them at lockdown to a dedicated hatcher.

I believe JJ uses this technique.

But when Brinsea is not fully loaded with eggs, some unused real estate can be used for extra vessels filled with water and sponges. I did that with my last coturnix hatch and had great hatch being able to maintain 70% + humidity with vent fully open.

I also believe in lowering temperature at hatching time about 2 -3 degrees, works great for me.

 

[jackson41]

I just had hatch my first in a brinsea 20 octagon manual. I ordered 24 eggs received 30 all in perfect condition from JJ. 16 were glowing at day 10, 12 hatched perfectly, 2 had air cells but didn't hatch. I think 50% for my first try is pretty good. I did keep very wet sponge in for hatching and only left the vent open about a crack. I'm not counting the extra eggs.