Lock Down Temperature Question?

[ShaneZ]

I made my own incubator. I tested it with multiple thermometers for weeks before I put the eggs in. On the shelves where the egg turners sit, it stays between 99 and 100. The top shelf it is more 99 degrees but the 3rd shelf is closer to 100. The middle shelf stays right at 99.5.

I have a hatching box in the bottom but, down there in the bottom, it wants to get up to 100.1 - 100.5 and I was wondering if that was too high for lock down? I have some of those styrofoam incubators I can use for lock down if need be. I had much rather use the hatching box in the bottom of my homemade one but I will do what is best. I tried to make a quick video. Sorry for the temp alarm beeping for about 30 seconds. I forgot to cut it off before I made video.

 

[MysteryChicken]

For lockdown, I lower the temperature in between 98.5°F - 97.5°F, since chicks are now able to produce some of their own body heat.

 

[ShaneZ]

Yea, that's what I was thinking. With 3 shelves full of eggs (load a tray full every 7 days to stagger the hatches) there would be no way to use my home made one as intended. If I keep the 3 shelves at 99 - 100, then my bottom hatching tray stays between 100.1 to 100.5 down there in the bottom.

Looks like I am going to have to use a separate styrofoam one for lockdown.

 

[Huntmaster]

Does your hatching box fit on the upper trays? If so, just move it to the top coolest levels and put incubating eggs and turners on bottom. Very nice-looking build.

 

[ShaneZ]

Does your hatching box fit on the upper trays? If so, just move it to the top coolest levels and put incubating eggs and turners on bottom. Very nice-looking build.

Not really. I made the shelves just high enough for egg turners to slide in. I made the bottom hatching tray tall enough for the chicks to stand up in and to keep them in. It was my first homemade incubator build. Learn from my mistakes. If I had to do it over I would have put the "reptile heat tape" stuff more on the roof and less at the bottom. That way it would be more heat from top down. Right now it seems to heat more from bottom up. I had in my head when I built it, that heat rises and would equal out.

 

[Huntmaster]

Looks like a nice unit how hard would it be to rearrange the heat tape in the future.

 

[ShaneZ]

Looks like a nice unit how hard would it be to rearrange the heat tape in the future.

Not sure. I never planned on removing it so I taped it pretty good. Also ran lots of wire and stuff across it. I had a bunch of electronics in the parts bin. Fans, switches, humidity controllers, temp controllers, voltage regulators, etc. I went crazy inside there. The heat tape is taped down real good. Then I even screwed PVC pipe in the inside 90 degree bends just so as it didn't heat the tape up and pull it loose lol. I hate to tear it all back apart but I may have to if I am to use it as I intended. My goal was to crank out 3 dozen chicks a week all in the same cabinet. Each week load a tray of eggs as I empty the hatching bin. Although if I do use a separate styrofoam incubator for lock down, it may make things easier for clean up.

 

[Huntmaster]

Ya that does sound like a lot of work to change it. You are right though about keeping incubator cleaner without hatching in it. I have dedicated incubator and separate hatcher for that very reason.