Opinions on tbe Farm Innovators 4200 please

[ButchGood]

All I've been needing to get the humidity up to 50/55% is 2 or 3 eye droppers full of water. I have to do this nearly every day. If I was you I would experiment with your incubator for a week to 10 days. I would experiment with a sponge. I was thinking about putting a damp sponge in a ziplock bag and punching holes in the bag with a paper hole puncher. I would find out how many holes would be needed for the humidity I wanted to hold. When the humidity drops, dampen the sponge.
I have 8 or 9 days to go for my final verdict on this machine. I hope its a good review.

 

[skylarms]

My updated vertict- after dealing with random temp spikes and issues, I figured maybe i just got a BAD one. The store replaced it and the new one works WAYYYYYY better! It holds the temp wonderfully. The only thing I do not like is even with the fan and both vent plugs open during hatching, the humidity gets very high to the point where I have to breifly open it every hour.

 

[Loghousemom]

So, here is a question.

I have eggs set in this same incubator at a school for a project. Seems like everything is working well and we are set to hatch next week.

I went and purchased one of these to work on a hatch at home. Set up in my basement and I have been letting it run empty for a few days. Seems to be holding temps fine, and humidity seems to stay at 45% with no water in. Now, I have a turner, so wont need to open it for that, but have been messing with it now and again just to see how things hold up. I noticed yesterday when I removed the cover for a while (to simulate candling the eggs) that it took about 2 hours for the temp to get back up to 99.5. I am thinking this is okay, because of course it is empty and with eggs in there they should hold some heat helping that temp to come up a little quicker, but now the perfectionist in me is thinking maybe that is not ok? Same thing today. So, maybe I should add some sterilized rocks or something and test it that way?

I also purchased a digital thermometer hygrometer to have a more accurate reading than the one on the top, but so far the temps hold as log as I don't open it.

 

[Loghousemom]

My updated vertict- after dealing with random temp spikes and issues, I figured maybe i just got a BAD one. The store replaced it and the new one works WAYYYYYY better! It holds the temp wonderfully. The only thing I do not like is even with the fan and both vent plugs open during hatching, the humidity gets very high to the point where I have to breifly open it every hour.

What are you keeping the humidity at for hatch? what was your humidity the first 18 days? I am in the middle of my first hatch so I am still learning myself, but do you think a higher humidity in the beginning would mean that there would still be extra humidity in those eggs at hatch?

 

[nanclapper]

Of course, after I posted the question, I found the reservoirs. Its hard to tell how much water is in the reservoir, but someone else mentioned she puts a little food coloring in and that helps. I think I might try that as well. I ran my incubator for the past three days and it took couple of days to get the temperature stabilzed, but now the temp & humidity have stablized. Thanks for the suggestion about the sponge because I will use that tip too!

 

[ButchGood]

I go on lock-down tonight. When I get home from work, It's time to take out the turner and crank the humidity up a bit. A little anxious here.

 

[horsekeeper]

Butch, good luck with your hatch. I see you are in Texas. If it is dry and you have trouble keeping the humidity up, put some sponges around the outside of the water wells and soak them. It is so much easier to slip in one of those little plastic watering cans and wet the sponge than try to aim for the wells. I opened mine a few times during lockdown and hatch to adjust the humidity and this incubator goes back to temp and humidity fast! I figured momma hen gets off the nest to eat and take a poo every day, so a short variation wouldn't even be noticed. Hatched 22 out of 26 marans and they popped out so quick it was amazing.

 

[ButchGood]

I just put them in lockdown. We candled all of them. All the Turkey eggs were not fertile...they were mail order eggs (EBAY). Only 2 chicken eggs were no goes. But Guess What? One is already pipped. Almost all you could hear chirping/peeping. We are at best 2 days early here, maybe 3. They all looked good. One Old english is questionable, but there is signs of development. I have like 13 eggs that are a go. Its starting to get exciting. No I have to email the man who sold me the turkey eggs and show him some pictures.

 

[horsekeeper]

Interesting. Mine started hatching early as well.
Sorry you were disappointed with the turkey eggs. I've been really leery of ordering from eBay for that reason.

 

[ButchGood]

Got up this morning to check temps and humidity's. Temps on the money,Humidity was at a very good range. I struggled with temps last night after lockdown. I put cool water in the reservoir without thinking and it took awhile for everything to stabilize. I could hear chirping...a lot of chirping....More than should be coming from 1 pipped egg (just starting to zip). I got a flashlight to check all the eggs and 2 Araucana eggs have started as well. I at work right now, but my wife should have an interesting day. I hope I get to see a chick when I get home.