Little Giant Incubation Experiment - Day 21 - Hatch Day!

[SimplyLogan]

I built a nice 200 egg cabinet incubator out of foam sheets and 1 x 2s. It's doing great, rock steady temps and humidity and cost under $250 with four brand new egg turners.

Here is the link to the thread:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/956935/home-made-cabinet-incubator

Thanks I'm checking that out. However, my husband may kill me

 

[fiset94]

So I went out to my barn and found my Golden lace frantically looking for the eggs that I just put into my carton... I went back into the house grabbed 2 of my FAv incubated eggs and brought them outside.. she jumped into the nesting box and sat promptly down on them...

I have two more in the bator at almost day 14.. I am going out for an errand... and if I return and she is still on those eggs... I'm going to let her have a chance to hatch them out!! She can't do any worse then I have!!

I wish I had my 2 silkies... they were broody ALL the time and would of loved to hatch them out for me! ... Stinkin' Racoon!

Michele

Edit... Went back into the barn and she was up roaming all around.. She just wanted to take a sit down I guess.. the 2 eggs that I put in there were cool to the touch... back to the bator they go!!

 

[fiset94]

So... the probe through the top of the unit reads 100.6... I removed it and put it through the side and on top of one of the eggs for almost 2 hours..... . just went downstairs and it read... 96.5!

If this was the problem all along I am going to scream! and then be so happy that it was an easy fix!! I will get it up to 102... leave them in the turner and tape the probe to a rock that I will make sure is chicken egg height. - Why in the world would the probe read so low... I just don't get it!! The probe through the top of the unit was literally touching the top of the egg at this 100.6 temp!

Michele

 

[mswendeu]

So... the probe through the top of the unit reads 100.6... I removed it and put it through the side and on top of one of the eggs for almost 2 hours..... . just went downstairs and it read... 96.5!

If this was the problem all along I am going to scream! and then be so happy that it was an easy fix!! I will get it up to 102... leave them in the turner and tape the probe to a rock that I will make sure is chicken egg height. - Why in the world would the probe read so low... I just don't get it!! The probe through the top of the unit was literally touching the top of the egg at this 100.6 temp!

Michele

Wahoo knowing is half the battle now to get it fixed.

 

[rossfam06]

Simply I would love a cabinet one too. I saw a post here about how to make one out of a wine chiller.... I saved the link so I could see if my husband would try to do it.

What's that link? My hubby wants to make one for me also!

 

[WalnutHill]

Thanks I'm checking that out. However, my husband may kill me

Just show him the economics. A cabinet incubator uses the same amount of electricity if you incubate chickens, turkeys, quail, guinea fowl, ducks, geese, peafowl (other than the added days), and whether you incubate 1 or 200. You can sell surplus chicks. And if you fill the incubator, you won't be quite as stressed over losing one at hatch as you would be if it were 1 of 3 instead of 1 of 200.

Twice now during this run, which has 82 turkey eggs and some chicken eggs set to go off at different times, I've had to leave for three days straight with no one to attend the incubator. And it is wonderful to come home to see the memory thermometer read 100 low/100 current/100 high with the medical thermometer in the dummy egg showing 100.4, and humidity at 38.5% (perfect for me based on air cells).

 

[AmyLynn2374]

So... the probe through the top of the unit reads 100.6... I removed it and put it through the side and on top of one of the eggs for almost 2 hours..... . just went downstairs and it read... 96.5!

If this was the problem all along I am going to scream! and then be so happy that it was an easy fix!! I will get it up to 102... leave them in the turner and tape the probe to a rock that I will make sure is chicken egg height. - Why in the world would the probe read so low... I just don't get it!! The probe through the top of the unit was literally touching the top of the egg at this 100.6 temp!

Michele

If that's the problem it would explain a lot!

 

[SimplyLogan]

Quote: That's great it holds like that. I work out of town every other weekend and I always have to worry because I know they don't check them very often while I am away. I think my husband is more worried about what I will hatch if I have more room. But maybe the selling of the chicks (of course to buy or hatch more eggs once my stock is up) will be a convincing point. Yep, gonna give it a push. lol.

 

[cooper7100]

Day 20. 20/28 made lockdown. Several peeps and a couple pips. Taking their sweet time

 

[WVduckchick]

Day 20. 20/28 made lockdown. Several peeps and a couple pips. Taking their sweet time

Perfection can't be rushed! Lol