Questions on incubation ... please help!

[angsaidso]

I just went online and bought a ReptiPro .... now I wait for that to arrive. What types of thermometers are you using? Digital?


Cool testing sounds like something that takes practice and knowledge. I mean to feel the slight variant in temp. It's so funny to listen to you guys because when you talk about game birds or chickens, etc ... the WORST thing you can do is open the incubator (word on the street anyway). Old time breeders up here are convinced if you open that door your hatch rate will go down to half or something. Even for candling. I know better, but just sayin'.

)) This adventure is so fun. I'm only on day 48 counting backward ... this is the longest 50 days I will spend.

 

[yinepu]

I just went online and bought a ReptiPro .... now I wait for that to arrive. What types of thermometers are you using? Digital?


Cool testing sounds like something that takes practice and knowledge. I mean to feel the slight variant in temp. It's so funny to listen to you guys because when you talk about game birds or chickens, etc ... the WORST thing you can do is open the incubator (word on the street anyway). Old time breeders up here are convinced if you open that door your hatch rate will go down to half or something. Even for candling. I know better, but just sayin'.

)) This adventure is so fun. I'm only on day 48 counting backward ... this is the longest 50 days I will spend.

HAHAHAHA... sorry.. but I am an "old time" breeder.. been hatching out chicks, ducks, turkeys, parrots.. well.. you get the idea for over 50 years.. I ALWAYS open that darn incubator whenever I feel like it. AND with a Reptipro throw out everything you ever learned about incubation and "lockdown".. because you HAVE to open it several times a day (yes even for chickens) during hatch and "lockdown" in order to make sure they have plenty of fresh air.

I use digital thermometers...
also with hatching pretty much throw out your hygrometer and go by air cell size on eggs you can candle.. the air cell will tell you everything you need to know about your humidity... in the case of emu and goose eggs I weigh them.. but if I could candle an emu egg I would do that too.

 

[angsaidso]

HAHAHAHA... sorry.. but I am an "old time" breeder.. been hatching out chicks, ducks, turkeys, parrots.. well.. you get the idea for over 50 years.. I ALWAYS open that darn incubator whenever I feel like it. AND with a Reptipro throw out everything you ever learned about incubation and "lockdown".. because you HAVE to open it several times a day (yes even for chickens) during hatch and "lockdown" in order to make sure they have plenty of fresh air.

I use digital thermometers...
also with hatching pretty much throw out your hygrometer and go by air cell size on eggs you can candle.. the air cell will tell you everything you need to know about your humidity... in the case of emu and goose eggs I weigh them.. but if I could candle an emu egg I would do that too.

I know ... I open mine too. For candling so I can remove bad eggs, to add water, etc ... "Lockdown" doesn't make much sense to me ... chickens do come off the nest periodically to eat, poop, get water ... not for long, but just long enough. I never had a hatching issue that I know of because of opening the incubators. But what do I know??? I have also been hatching parrots, etc for a long time also and never had any trouble from opening the "bator. Strange the old wive's tales. I actually got into a heated discussion with a friend of mine who said "Maybe if you hadn't opened that incubator, those last four eggs would've hatched". This being said about the 48 guinea eggs I had in there. Seriously???? LOLOLOL

 

[Yoda]

I use digital thermometer. Did you buy the reptipro 6000? I open my door 3-4 times a day LOL. But the eggs don't cool that quick cause your only turning them and closing the door LOL

 

[angsaidso]

I use digital thermometer. Did you buy the reptipro 6000? I open my door 3-4 times a day LOL. But the eggs don't cool that quick cause your only turning them and closing the door LOL

Yes I did. I cannot wait for it to arrive!! I also want to replace my Sportsman eventually too, but that's a bit cost prohibitive right now for me.

I will use that little ReptiPro for everything. Eventually I'll prolly get another one if i like it.

 

[angsaidso]

Oh, and I plan to add egg turners to this as well.

 

[yinepu]

I know ... I open mine too. For candling so I can remove bad eggs, to add water, etc ... "Lockdown" doesn't make much sense to me ... chickens do come off the nest periodically to eat, poop, get water ... not for long, but just long enough. I never had a hatching issue that I know of because of opening the incubators. But what do I know??? I have also been hatching parrots, etc for a long time also and never had any trouble from opening the "bator. Strange the old wive's tales. I actually got into a heated discussion with a friend of mine who said "Maybe if you hadn't opened that incubator, those last four eggs would've hatched". This being said about the 48 guinea eggs I had in there. Seriously???? LOLOLOL

The whole "lockdown" nonsense was created by people who got tired of telling newbies not to mess with hatching chicks... then companies like Brinsea came up with the (not so) brilliant idea of placing the fan where it would blow directly onto the eggs.. which convinced people that opening the bator during "lockdown" was bad and caused shrinkwrapping.. when in actuality it is the fan placement that causes the most issues.. I had the worst hatch rates with those darn Brinseas.. plus they are unreliable as all get out.. temperature spikes and thermostats dying half way through hatch.. grr.. they went to the dump!

 

[yinepu]

Yes I did. I cannot wait for it to arrive!! I also want to replace my Sportsman eventually too, but that's a bit cost prohibitive right now for me.

I will use that little ReptiPro for everything. Eventually I'll prolly get another one if i like it.

i have been wanting to get the 6000... just cant fit it into the budget.. and when I can something always comes up.. lol

i use mine for everything.. I have stacked eggs in it three high and still had 100% hatch rates.. I love mine!




Lol.. these were only stacked 2 high... needless to say.. turning them several times a day was.... fun

 

[Yoda]

I only use my reptipro for hatching emu eggs LOL Then it just sits there til the following season. I use my Hovabator to hatch out chicken and peafowl eggs with the egg turner. Never had any hatching issue with it other then chicks getting hurt by the fan. I got a fan guard to stop that.

 

[angsaidso]

Well, all I know is hatching wouldn't be nearly as fun and would get **** boring if all you did was throw eggs in a 'bator and sit around waiting. "Lockdown" always sounded kinda stewpit to me anyway. I enjoy pulling my eggs out, gently candling them once every couple of weeks or so depending on what they are, and then just enjoying the hatch knowing they were breaking the membrane, or being able to make more room by taking out the clear or bad eggs. Last year I hatched well over 300 birds here and had a ball doing it, opening the incubator at regular intervals. Everyone kept calling me the "fertile egg hoarder". BBBhahahaaaaa!!!! No egg went to the garbage if there was a chance it would hatch. And I still managed to get my numbers down to a nice manageable level for winter. It was SO exciting and so rewarding. These emu eggs are something I have been waiting THREE LONG YEARS to try. I need to find some others to try too from a different farm.