Ready to toss the bator, eggs and all (updated!)

[TattooQ27]

"your only 2 hours from me!"


Ohhh, that's right! Maybe from now on I should just bring you all of my eggs to hatch and then live vicariously through you?? LOL My DH says I should hook up our video monitor to the computer so he can check everything from work. That way he can lock me out of the office so I won't be in there obsessing anymore and if there is a big problem he can call and tell me where the key is. Probably a good suggestion huh )

 

[randomchick]

Quote:
I second that! Same advice I got and it was the best advice ever.

 

[TattooQ27]

Quote:
Yes, I agree too. I am going to start writing down what I see just for future reference but I am going to do it with my hands tied behind my back so I can't adjust anything. I think I will feel better after we candle them if there are any viable ones since that will give me some reassurance that everything is functional.

 

[TriciaHowe]

Quote:
LOL, well if we ever get our house sold so we can move then perhaps I can talk DH into a bigger better one but for now it's my only option. I think when the day comes that I can get something better I might throw a party and let my family help destroy the LG.

I now have 3 Genesis 1588s and 1 1590 which is the older version of the 1588. They cost a bit more than a LG, but I have very good luck with them.

I also have a 1588 and a 1590. Thrilled with both of them. I wouldn't go back to a wafer if I had to.
To the OP:
Have you tried a water wiggler to see what the internal temps of your eggs are? Maybe that would help you to not see such big fluctuations in the temperature.
Good luck with your hatch

 

[lemurchaser]

Do you have a turner in there? I can't get my LG stabilized to save my life with the turner and eggs in it (I think it messes up the airflow). Mine is rock solid stable if I do these things (its a still air with a computer fan in it):

No turner, eggs loose or in cartons.
Both plugs in.
Incubator sitting on a towel.
I then just tip the whole incubator back and forth on a chair to "turn" the eggs.

 

[EweSheep]

That is why I love my Hovabator Genesis!

LG is a piece of crap...had three of them and they do not hold their weight in gold. So touchy! So I got rid of them and only kept one for brooding up to two days which it would be ok because it would be in the 90's once they leave the incubator after they hatched and dried out.

 

[Penturner]

Just some Techno type info. Thermostats can be a huge problem when it comes to keeping an exact temp. Most stats have a high and low limit. this is why your house heats up then cools down before the heater comes on again. I have no idea what type of stat is in an incubator much less the type in a specific incubator. but I suspect they are not all that high a quality. variations from one stat to the next are likely etc. but it looks like your stat has a high and low that varies by 2 degrees of what you have it set for. There are stats that will keep things dead on but they are going to be pricey. I am not sure if there is a good way to fix this but I am thinking on it. Also a little checking for what type of stats are more accurate might help. I know that water heater stats are commonly used in homemade bators but they are not exactly the most consistent way to control heat not even for a water heater. I am thinking that looking around at scientific supply sources might turn up some better choices.

 

[bigstack]

DITTO, LG is ONLY gonna be used for lockdown! Im moving all into the sportsman i scored for $200. Just cleaned and disinfected it over the weekend. Its been runing dead on since Monday night. All clean dry and warm. Ready for new tennants. Temp is on at 98.5 and off at 101. takes about 40 sec. to cycle, humidity is 37% as soon as I get home every body is moving! I have the hatchingtray in the bottom but I'm doing a staggerd hatch. I don't want to keep opening the door. I will just move the ones going to lockdown into the LG. Its easier to reach in and grab em when dry. But I did get the LG to almost stabilize. I added 2 ziploc bags of water to the sides of bottom pan. they hold temp when it drops and it only spike for a short time and never over 101.7 or below 98.3 befor adding water bags. Now it stays at 99.8 it might drop to 99.2 but still doesn't get above 101.7 I think it would be ok. I just feel safer using the sportsman. Keep your eyes on craigs list and ask around. you might find some one who knows someone who used to raise chickens with equipment just setting around or packed away.

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[IggiMom]

If I had a Sportsman there would be chickens coming out of the walls!

Wow! A Sportsman!

I do like the Genesis. But honestly, I do have pretty good luck with my LG, too. I use them both. The thing I have to watch most is the humidity.

Catherine

 

[Keri78]

This is my first attempt at hatching too and after 48 hrs. of steady temps we put the eggs in and BAM!!!! it spiked to 114 and then after fussing with it for a long time we decided to leave it and go out to dinner with friends(which were patiently waiting for us to get done playing with our eggs!!LOL) So throughout dinner we kept texting back and forth to get an update on the bator temps and it settled down to 104 and held steady there for about 3 hours or more and then we got back home and cotinued to tinker with the DAG thing! Finally it balanced out to 98-99 and held steady until the second week when we had a power outage and it went to 70 for 4 HOURS!!!!

BUT...I say all of that to say this!!!!!.....DRUM ROLL!!!!

We officially have four healthy babies growing out of 8 shipped eggs which to me is AMAZING!!! Lockdown is tomorrow night! Sooo amazing how resilient these little buggers are! So hang in there...you just may be surprised!

PS...I'm looking into a small digital bator for my Birthday!