new bater setup??

[naightengale]

ok so we just finished building our first incubator, holds 20 eggs.
testing it out now.
used dual card board boxes (inbetween is filled with more cardboard)
lined with two layers of foil
has air holes in each end
water tube
jelly jars of water
fan
light hooked to thermostat
light shield between light and eggs
built in turner rods for no touch turning
heat sat at aprox 99deg. (havent worked on humidity yet thats our next step)
will have two termometers and 2 hydometers (sp)
did we forget anything??



whatcha think??
if all tests check out will be putting the first batch in saturday

 

[naightengale]

so far temp is holding between 98 and 100,
but humidity is at 90% any ways to lower this??? yes its very humid and moist here.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I would not use so much water. I use home made bators too I live in the desert. I dry hatch, I don't even pay attention to the humidity- but if I put my hand in and it feels humid from the eggs themselves I am happy. after the internal pip I humidify more. but I will watch your success let me know how it goes with 2 jars of water.

 

[naightengale]

i dont have ANY water in it right now. i havent started the humidity test yet. but one of my thermometers does both.
the jelly jars havent been filled yet either but will be sealed. just for heat absorbing.

 

[gimmie birdies]

oh that makes me feel better. I think most people who end up dry hatching, found they had it too moist in bator first time and had to try again. My first hatch I had one cup water in bator- I kept hearing more water, more water so I put two cups in and all my chicks ended up too moist. my second batch I had less than 1/2 cup water in bator, and had a better hatch then I started to dry hatch it worked best for me. and now only dry hatch till the internal pip. but keeping the bator closed they still have moisture.

 

[naightengale]

ok so since that had me scared i added another meter and it says 40% nuch better and more likely. i have 19 eggs to add to this thing as soon as we think its ready. 7 sexlink eggs and 12 RIR eggs that my hubbys aunt gave us from there chickens. so all home grown local eggs. and all 19 free, also have 5 bantum and pullet eggs waiting on my silky to brood...(she has filled the nest with feathers so im guessing shes getting ready??)
if all flops at least im not out any cash every thing in the experiment was free, but if im sussessful i will have a bunch more chickens in the big pen next spring!!

 

[naightengale]

ok so having difficultys getting temp to regulate right what are the max and min temps i can allow it to swing to and still be safe??

 

[gimmie birdies]

yes. I love to hatch and have hatched out about 5 groups of eggs average 6 chicks each hatch with small clutches of eggs
.



after each hatch I think I am done for the year at least. I have raised them to eating or giving away age, and to date there is only 3 of all these chicks I am going to keep, I am hatching out more though and my last 2 batches I hope to get a naked neck and a grey chicken, so I will probably keep more. and I haven't decided on a rooster yet. 3 chicks under hen are due Fri.

hot weather melted the others she had.

so I am incubating another 14 or so that will come in week and a half late (after the 3), but she is very excepting mother so I don't worry

she is with these store babies, she took them in with out having to trick her at night.

 

[gimmie birdies]

yes. I love to hatch and have hatched out about 5 groups of eggs average 6 chicks each hatch with small clutches of eggs
.



after each hatch I think I am done for the year at least. I have raised them to eating or giving away age, and to date there is only 3 of all these chicks I am going to keep, I am hatching out more though and my last 2 batches I hope to get a naked neck and a grey chicken, so I will probably keep more. and I haven't decided on a rooster yet. 3 chicks under hen are due Fri.

hot weather melted the others she had.

so I am incubating another 14 or so that will come in week and a half late (after the 3), but she is very excepting mother so I don't worry

she is with these store babies, she took them in with out having to trick her at night.

 

[naightengale]

ok so i got my bator regulated to a max high of 101 and a min low of 95 maintaining 100-99 mostly. and my humidity is never higher than 47% am i ready to add eggs?? or do i need to maintain a minimum humid as well. lowest its gone is 27 but i figure it will go up once i add the eggs...???