Need some hatching buddies - Hatching May 24-28

[dretd]

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Too cute! You are going to be one very busy man in about 3 weeks!

 

[Stevenson]

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Too cute! You are going to be one very busy man in about 3 weeks!

I know! I am busy now trying to finish my coop so that it will be ready in time! https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6127997#p6127997

 

[Stevenson]

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Do you have pictures of your incubator?

 

[dretd]

Do you have pictures of your incubator?

Promise not to laugh?...its a work in progress... I did a failed test hatch lst month and resolved the majority of problems. I thought I had them all licked, but the temp gradient cropped up. I closed my vent holes on the right and the temp is up by about a degree on the right side, so I think I am on track.
The incubator from the outside: I taped plastic sheeting on the top of the lid to drape over the opening so I don't lose much heat when I open the lid to rotate the eggs. The port is on the right with a temp probe that goes to my computer with data recorded every 10 minutes. The probe is nestled in a 2 oz taped gel pack to simulate the interior of an egg, sort of a home-made water wiggler:

This is the domed lid--I put all the working parts up there and out of the way. Fan on the left, Hot water thermostat center and porch light with foil deflector on the right. You can see vent holes drilled in the center and right if you look closely:

And the aerial view of the eggs. Rock heat sinks below with water pan. Pre-placed tubing from the outside to administer water on the right and left, the right goes to the water pan, the left goes to a sham-wow for lock-down. A cookie rack over that with the eggs perched at a 25 degree angle on foam-board props surrounded by more jars/bottles of water heat-sinks. The thermometers are on the front glass, back center, digital remote in the blue gel pack and a dial that normally sits across the top of the eggs but i placed over the gel pack to see if the temp was reading true in the remote:

There ya go.​

 

[Stevenson]

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I love that! I would love to have a record of where the temperatures were throughout the day when I wasn't there! That's great!

One thing I think you need to do is change the location of your thermostat. I know that it is in a good spot for wiring, but I wonder if that is part of your problem. I don't think I would worry about it for this hatch though.

I was going to suggest increasing the temp in the center to 99.5-100.5, but I don't think you want to mess with it in the middle of the process. I was thinking that increasing the temp a little in the middle might increase it on the right side enough to make it closer to 99.5.

I think you'll be fine. I have read that lower temperatures can slow the hatch down a day or two...but I don't think you're that much lower than the optimum temperature.

 

[dretd]

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I love that! I would love to have a record of where the temperatures were throughout the day when I wasn't there! That's great!

Yeah, this has been really handy to track the temps while I am gone! It's silly though, I have under $20 invested in to the incubator and my hubby was using the temp probe for some energy software he is writing so he lent it to me... he said the unit cost about $200.

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You can't tell from the angle but its dangling into the chamber and in a 'Goldilocks' spot in front of the light. I had it closer to the lid and flipped 180 to start and it really did cause me issues. At one point the tape came undone and it moved about 1 cm farther from the light and this was enough to cause a 2 degree temp fluctuation in the incubator.

I was going to suggest increasing the temp in the center to 99.5-100.5, but I don't think you want to mess with it in the middle of the process. I was thinking that increasing the temp a little in the middle might increase it on the right side enough to make it closer to 99.5.

Actually thats right where the center is running now that I've close the vent. The right side is now 99.1 to 99.2 so I think I'll be ok.

I am amazed that a 1 cm change in thermostat position can have such an impact on temp fluctuation and closing two small vent holes can raise the temp 1.5 degrees just in one area!

Thank you so much for your time in looking and your thoughts, its really helpful to have a second set of eyes!!​

 

[Stevenson]

I think you're in great shape now! Hope you end up with a great hatch!!!!

 

[StarStruck203]

i have a dozen eggs in the bator and they are due to hatch April 29th. im So excited!

i set them on the 8th.

my temp has been a constant temp of about 102 (it is a still air).

humidity at about 55% to 60%

does that all sound about right. im on day 4 now.

 

[Stevenson]

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Sounds like a winner to me! Good luck!! Keep us posted!

 

[animalsRawesome]

I just put 41 eggs in my incubator tonight!
Kind-of new at hatching.
I have Black jersey giants, light brahmas, and welsummers. also 1 RIR rooster. They all run together, so they won't be pure-bred...makes it more interesting to see what they look like though.