Poping "popcorn" in the Fridge! Pics!

[Buttercup Chillin]

Wood ducks, nest in trees and the chicks fall to the ground. Quail are ground birds and nest on the ground, they are not geared for falling from nests to the ground.

Smaller wire over the 1" would keep them from falling, then just put them on the bottom. You may have injuries from them falling to the bottom.

 

[redhen]

Quote:
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[Palmer5]

Can you explain why the thermostat needs attached to metal? I'm building an incubator out of a plastic cooler and was planning on using the same type of thermostat. Do I need to attach it to a piece o sheet metal before I mount it in the cooler?

Thanks

 

[warmfuzzyfeeling]

Riffecreek,

I think that an 8 inch drop would be fine--I have seen the way hatched chickens are tossed into sorting bins by the people who sex them at hatcheries. But, I wonder if the quail chicks would be less able to "catch themselves" or land safely if they haven't yet had the opportunity to fluff up and try out their legs. Would they fall in a more clumsy way if they are just barely out of the shell?

At any rate, you will be the authority on this, having tested it out. It will be interesting to observe whether or not a certain percentage of chicks end up with minor injuries from the drop.

Again, great job with your very inventive incubator!

Jennifer

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
The thermostat he used is a water heater thermostat. They are designed to adjust the temperature of the water heater by the temperature of the metal. Using this type of thermostat, you need to have it attached to metal so it can work properly. The wafer thermostats that come in most incubators are designed to adjust by the temperature of the air

 

[Mrs. Green Thumbs]

I have an idea..... What about taking some egg crate foam and lining the bottom of the fridge that way when they do fall they land on something soft. I keep picturing little baby birds falling and smacking their tiny little heads on the hard floor.... OUCH!!!

 

[Riffecreek]

O.K. I think some of you might have misunderstood me so I will attempt to explain.

There are 30+ layers of paper towels for them to fall on, AND this is the first "test" run of the bator. I plan on making hatching trays.


And YES, wood ducks in the wild nest over water. the chicks fall into the water.

BUT I do have a ?? for you all! How many of you build your nest boxes for your chickens "ground" level? If they are off the ground and you aren't there when they hatch, What happens??? The hen flies down when she is ready for them to leave the nest, calls to the chicks, and yup they jump down!

I'm not trying to offend anyone with this post. I was just proud of my first test and wanted to explain what was going on in this hatching. In turn someone might like to build an incubator something like this. It's a very simple setup that I think anyone could build with an old fridge and one $20 trip to the hardware store. I will post more pics of the other fan I installed last night to help "up" the humidity because it looked to be a dry hatch in progress (if anyone would like to see them). I had 12 eggs that was set to hatch last night, and I now have 8 healthy chicks with 2 more trying to unzip right now.

Thank you all for your time and concerns, and as always, ideas and opinions are always welcome!

 

[Buttercup Chillin]

Nono my baby chicks are incubated, mom used broodies on the floor of the grain room. Muscovies nest high in trees over land and babies fall to ground, however that's another thread..

I'd say your bator is a raving success. God Please Do Not Drop a Frig in my yard, I dare not turn it into a bator, I don't have room for more chicks than my hova-bator can hatch at one time.

But we want to see more pictures, where are those little balls of fluff?????? hum.......

 

[Riffecreek]

Here you go!

 

[hac1224]

Great job on your first hatch! I'm only on day 6-7 of my first quail eggs.

Hoping I get a good hatch, too.

If only I didn't need the extra space, our second fridge on the back porch just recently stopped working. It's HUGE, but I need the spot for a new fridge. The number of eggs I could hatch in something that size...........