Picked up the
Farm Innovators Model 4250 Digital Circulated Air Incubator with Automatic Egg Turner today at
TSC. They only had two so I bought it til I could read reviews.
Anyone here buy this incubator?
I wonder with the bad reviews if folks used it right.
Your incubator should be in a low traffic area with a median temp of 70-80*. When I added water to my Genesis I used an eye dropper rather than opening it. In my office I make sure to have a thermometer on the outside wall of the room to monitor room temp. This is very important. Don't go by the thermostat. Our kitchen is much cooler than the living room. My office gets little traffic and I keep the door closed.
In the basement where I also used the Genesis I build a box of foil covered foam. It's cooler there. I did get a 50% hatch but that was fine with me.
This incu will be used in the office IF I decide to keep it.
A fluctuation in temps is not bad when you consider the mother hen gets off her eggs once a day. Of course too high or too low is not good. 99.0 or 101.5 is okay.
I like to give my eggs a quarter turn each day the first week. 35%/ day 16, 55% on day 16, 65% on day 19 humidity. This from an article I have.
Here's an excerpt of the article.
"As far as I'm concerned, the main problems that incubator users (especially beginners) encounter continue to be directly linked ot the poor set - up and basic operator error. Fundamentals such as getting the temperature wrong - either due to inaccurate setting, poor monitoring or unsuitable positioning of the machine are an all too common cause of hatching failure. Incorrect humidity level is another major sticking point for far to many users and consequently, another significant contributor to unsuccessful results.
Without a doubt, though, one of the keys to successful incubation is an organized and methodical approach to all aspect of the process. Good record keeping forms an essential part of this. You must note down all the important dates relating to every batch of eggs you set in the incubator; When they were collected, when they were set and the predicted hatch day. Details relating to the breed and pen number are important too, especially as far as identification, post - hatch is concerned. Collating this sort of information may on the face of it, seem a little over the top, especially if you're new to the hobby. but recording relevant information in this sort of detail is a good habit to get into from the start."
Back to me. Folks keep in mind if you order eggs, you have no real way of knowing when they were collected and how they were stored before shipment. It might be good to note who you ordered from and the condition of the eggs you received in. Good packaging won't help old, poorly stored eggs or eggs from unhealthy chickens.
I'll be looking for your reviews of this incubator. Everything on the label looks similar to the Genesis 1588 but it may not be as well built. I do note that some folks have pretty good rates with a home made unit. That I think is due to talent and experience.
