Reptipro 5000 Hatch-A-Long (=

[ducksinarow]

msheets, did your duckling hatch?

 

[skyking]

Regarding incubator temps, I have a Meade Thermo-Hygro Sensor sitting on the shelf squeezed just behind the turner. Just got an email notice that you replied - 23 hours later! (at 1:30 today so the BYC notifier is a bit off) - so too late to try the water bath procedure as I have already set a new batch at noon. Perhaps I should let my air temp run around 102F (39C) instead of 100F (38C) since it does appear that these chicks were a bit 'behind'. I will also try a dry set without adding water unless humidity falls below 26%. Thanks for the ideas.

UPDATE: 2/15 - I have the thermostat now set at 102 (39C) and my air temp is holding steady at 101F. Humidity is down to 29% from 34% yesterday, but I won't add water unless it gets down to 25% (unless anything below 30% is too low which means I should add some water in a small juice glass now which will bring it back up to 34%).

 

[melodym78]

Just got my Reptipro 6000 set up and running...YEE HA just in time for lock down tomorrow on some nice silkie eggs from a fellow BYC'er!

I have a wet sponge in there and the humidity is staying constant...

 

[crazzzymike13]

I'm getting my Reptipro 6000 tomorrow. I'm getting some fertilized eggs Saturday. I'm going to cut my Little giant egg turner in half to make it shorter so it will fit the incubator. I can;t wait!!!!!

 

[jessicayarno]

Received my Reptipro 6000 today, unfortunately it was damaged during shipping

My husband contacted them by e-mail and let them know, and they are going to ship another one out tomorrow. Great customer service!!!!

 

[msheets]

Skyking, I agree with yinepu in that your humidity was really high...or at least a lot higher than I'm comfortable with. I've had chicks hatch as late as the 25th day from the temps being low during incubation so that does happen but I would think they wouldve hatched by day 23 with the temps at 100.2°F. Were they dead when you opened the egg? My guess is they drowned in their shell? Hope you have better luck next time!

Yes my duck did hatch, its a lil chocolate/fawn runner duckling! Ill try to post a pic in a lil bit...thanks for asking

Chris, you may have answered & I didn't see it but are the 6000 shelves any bigger than the 5000 ones? Not complaining at all, you know I love the Reptioros, just curious

I'm so glad to see a lot more people getting Reptipros & joining this thread, I hope reading all the posts helped encourage members to buy these incubators because I really think they are 100% the best bator out there in that price range, I really do! I just love the cabinet style bators, I'd like to see down the road sometime a larger version of the Reptipro, one close in size to the GQFs...mmmm i would be estatic lol! The customer service is great to, I'm glad Chris has been a part of the thread to help whoever needed it, not many incubator companies take that kind of time to assist their customers.

My emu eggs are on day 13 so I couldn't help but get my stethoscope out...but I think its still to early because I didn't hear anything, I haven't read any solid evidence that it will even work anyway...I really wish emus didn't take a darn 50+ days to hatch, I'm to impatient for that! Then on the emu hatchalong there are members that have chicks hatching now & one with wiggling eggs, so that makes it worse of course lol :/

 

[msheets]

Regarding incubator temps, I have a Meade Thermo-Hygro Sensor sitting on the shelf squeezed just behind the turner. Just got an email notice that you replied - 23 hours later! (at 1:30 today so the BYC notifier is a bit off) - so too late to try the water bath procedure as I have already set a new batch at noon. Perhaps I should let my air temp run around 102F (39C) instead of 100F (38C) since it does appear that these chicks were a bit 'behind'. I will also try a dry set without adding water unless humidity falls below 26%. Thanks for the ideas.

UPDATE: 2/15 - I have the thermostat now set at 102 (39C) and my air temp is holding steady at 101F. Humidity is down to 29% from 34% yesterday, but I won't add water unless it gets down to 25% (unless anything below 30% is too low which means I should add some water in a small juice glass now which will bring it back up to 34%).

What you're doing sounds about perfectly what I go for. I always run my temps a degree or 2 high with chicken or duck eggs & don't even add water to my Repti unless the humdity drops below 25, this method has worked wonderfully for me. My Repti temps are always a degree or 2 below what I set it on so usually its set to 103°F. On lockdown I get the humidity to the high 50s-mid 60s, never higher. Luckily the Repti is extremely easy when it comes to getting the humidity you want. Did you read the entire thread? There's a few good tips for when its lockdown time. I saw where someone asked where to let the eggs hatch, the shelves or the bottom, if you're not setting too many it might be easier to put them on the bottom to hatch but I'd incubate on the shelves. I filled my water tray up then when chicks hatched they fell from the shelves & drowned in the water, not the incubators fault but mine. There's a gap between the shelves & the door so you will need to put something there to keep chicks from falling to the lower levels. Yinepu had a great suggestion for the holes in the shelves, she puts "shelf liner" on them for lockdown. I wouldn't put it in any sooner or it might block the fan's airflow. If you block the gap between the shelves & the door then also aren't using the bottom for incubating eggs then you can use the tray for water but if notI'd use containers of water instead.

Ok one last thing, there's about a 1-2 (sometimes 3 but not typically) degree difference between the top shelf & the floor so make sure you have a thermometer on each level. So if you have eggs on all 3 levels I always rotate them every other day so they all hatch the same day, otherwise the chicks on the floor will hatch 1-3 days after those on the top shelf since their temps were different.

Wow it seems I've rambled on for days lol but I know some members don't have time to read the entire thread & with the new people on here I don't want you to miss the valuable info we gathered in the beginning of the thread.

 

[skyking]

I incubate and hatch on the shelf set in the middle position - warm air passes just over the top of the eggs. I use a 9x9 baking dish on the bottom with water for lockdown. I place shelf liner on the shelf and duct tape a piece of foam 1/2" pipe insulation between the shelf and door to fill the gap (perfect fit). Air temp right at shelf level (just below bottom of eggs as they are held up off the shelf by the turner) is averaging 101F (one degree lower than the setting of 102) and humidity is around 28%. Higher air temp (by one degree) and lower humidity this time around hopefully will produce happier results. I may candle at either 10 or 14 days, haven't decided yet. Using an Infrared Thermometer, the egg shells are showing a temperature of 104-105F. It is apparent that your actual egg temperature will not match your air temperature in the 'bator.

 

[melodym78]

Just got my Reptipro 6000 set up and running...YEE HA just in time for lock down tomorrow on some nice silkie eggs from a fellow BYC'er!

I have a wet sponge in there and the humidity is staying constant...

Just had my first chick hatch..more zipping as I type. I feel so much better having them hatch in this incubator instead of the "MURDERBATOR" LG...that wet sponge works like a charm. Its barely damp and the humidity stays at a constant 65=68%.

 

[crazzzymike13]

Hey Msheets, I see that you dry incubate. I need some advice real quick. I just got my Reptipro today and I'm going to start incubating probably Sunday, Unless I get too excited and do it tomorrow. I was wondering, when the humidity gets below 25 percent, How much water do you add? Like 1/4 cup or something? Also On lock down do you just fill the tray up? Thank you for your time.

Mike