Reptipro 5000 Hatch-A-Long (=

[Zootopia]

For anyone who is new to hatching. STOP! and think for a minute. It is generally agreed that 50% is a decent hatch rate for shipped eggs, If you know what you are doing AND you have established a routine for YOUR incubator and YOUR area. The best advise anyone has ever given me was to use my own (or local NOT shipped, cheap eggs) to figure it all out. (PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE) No matter what you read, no two setups are exactly the same. Buy a good quality forced air incubator (if you are here the Repti Pro is that) set it up with all the thermometers, etc for AT LEAST a week, and watch it. See what quirks it has, what affects it, before you set eggs. Then set your cheap eggs, turn your eggs 3 times a day (WASH your hands before you handle them, every time) or use a turner. Don't try to candle until at least 7 days (especially if you don't know what you're looking at) 10 for darker eggs.
There are lots of people out there who have been hatching for years who lose entire hatches of expensive shipped eggs. Shipping can be hard on eggs, even when the box comes in looking perfect. Air cells get busted, eggs get scrambled, and you would never know to look at the box. Let the eggs settle for a minimum of 4 hours I wait till I go to bed so usually 12 + hours, to room temperature. Do you know how to (gently ) look for a loose air cell? NO? don't bother if the egg is dark, just look for cracks. (Don't try to seal a cracked egg until you get good at the WHOLE routine) Set eggs large end up in the turner or a plastic (easily cleaned) egg crate in the incubator and don't touch them for 5 to 7 days to let the air cells heal, then plug in the turner or gently tilt by hand. Don't lay eggs with possible air cell problems on their sides, leave upright, after the 5-7 days tilt gently from side to side 3 times a day.
To continue to buy shipped eggs before you have at least practiced to the point you are getting good at incubating is just throwing away money. No one can really tell you how to do it, they can only tell you what works for them. Take all that info and work it out.

 

[skyking]

If you are responding to my last post, then I guess you didn't go back and read previous posts (I'm documenting my entire experience here). I do not use shipped eggs, I collect them from my girls and I know Roody is doing his part. Set up the bator as recommended using bowl of water method. Handle as little as possible - that's why I didn't candle at all this time. If you are not responding specifically to me - never mind!

 

[DutchChic]

Well...I've been incubating for several years, and haven't shipped in any eggs yet this year due to trying this new incubator. I've used everything from the old wood Sportsman cabinet, to the old Browers, to the old Lyons, to the Hovabators....all with good success on both shipped, and farm laid eggs. I moved a couple years ago and don't have room for the Sportsman, and liked the small foot print that the Reptipro offered, not to mention the looks. There are other things I really like about this incubator, as well. I'm not interested in hatching the large quantities that I have in the past. Also, I read reviews before choosing this incubator.
I have had high mortality rates in this incubator, and thought maybe it was me, or even my own birds. When Eze pointed out the temp flucuations in their bator, I started looking closer at my own parameters. I didn't like what I found, and I've already got 50% mortality on eggs just set on the 2nd. I only have one viable egg from the batch before, due on the 17th. And my test batch before that only yielded 2 chicks, with one dying at hatch, and the only survivor having to be hand hatched. I did spend several days calibrating this unit before using it, and by all appearances, it appeared to be working alright. I decided last night to move all of the surviving eggs over to a brand new Hovabator.....I want to see how things go in it before I totally write off the Reptipro. I was hoping it was going to be as good as it looks like it should be. At this point, I have my doubts. My Hovabator had no temp flucuations last night, and I even had my windows open all night with temps outside being in the high 50's.

Skyking: If this is your first incubator, don't give up. It is highly unlikely that you are the problem, but rather the Reptipro. I know you are frustrated...I am too, having tossed roughly 30 Call duck eggs out of the Reptipro.

 

[Zootopia]

If you are responding to my last post, then I guess you didn't go back and read previous posts (I'm documenting my entire experience here). I do not use shipped eggs, I collect them from my girls and I know Roody is doing his part. Set up the bator as recommended using bowl of water method. Handle as little as possible - that's why I didn't candle at all this time. If you are not responding specifically to me - never mind!

I',m not responding to anyone in particular. I have a 5000 and yes, the temps are different at each level which I understand the 6000 should be more even, rotating the shelves can help with this.

 

[skyking]

Interesting, I have always had a Meade Temp/Humidity Sensor on the shelf with the auto turner and every time I check it the temp is almost exact at 100 the first batch, 101 the second, and 102 the third (I kept increasing the temp on each batch thinking my air temp was too low since I had 'not fully developed' chicks). Mine cycles on and off every 20 seconds or so, and the temp display varies by about 2 degrees but inside seems steady.

 

[skyking]

Eggtopsy Report

 

[sixpugs]

Eggtopsy Report - out of 16 every one was clear, not a single chick or embryo. My guess is I cooked them all. I had better results with my first batch with air temp at 100.2 so the next batch I'll set it for that and dry hatch with just a tiny bit of water to keep humidity around 30%. I'll also candle at 10 days to make sure I have development so I don't waste an extra two weeks incubating dead eggs.

It sounds to me like you have problems with your Rooster. Either he is immature or infertile. I don't know which breed(s) of chickens you are raising, but if they are excessively fluffy behind, it is possible that the fluff is blocking the path. Also, how many hens/pullets per rooster are you running? Depending on breed, some can only handle 3 to 5 hens max. You should candle at 7 to 10 days anyway. Waiting the full 21 + days delays fixing the problems. I personally candle at 7, 14 and 18 days when they go into lockdown. You may have overheated them in the early development, but I'm inclined to think fertility or fluff as a problem.
Just my 2 cents....

 

[DutchChic]

Eggtopsy Report - out of 16 every one was clear, not a single chick or embryo. My guess is I cooked them all. I had better results with my first batch with air temp at 100.2 so the next batch I'll set it for that and dry hatch with just a tiny bit of water to keep humidity around 30%. I'll also candle at 10 days to make sure I have development so I don't waste an extra two weeks incubating dead eggs.

Just clarifying...when you say clear, there wasn't a blood spot or ring or anything in the eggs?

 

[skyking]

Couple of partial embryos, rings, etc. not totally clear as in infertile. Roody is servicing the 13 girls just fine and if you read back to my first posts, I had 8 out of 10 almost fully developed chicks the first go-round so the bullets are hitting the target. Hens are Sexlinks and NH Reds and Auracanas and some are moulting so not so fluffy behinds. Historically, I'm getting worse results the more I increase the temp so it's back to 100.4F/38C air temp measured at shelf level where the turner is - forget the water bowl temp routine. First batch were collected quickly when it was 15F outside and now that it's warmed up a bit I'm hoping everything syncs into gear and I get better results this next batch.

 

[yinepu]

I incubate at 99 degrees at shelf level.. my turkey eggs are due to start hatching on the 16th they are all showing development and look to be right on track

even the 3 chicken eggs i have in there are doing great


when I had emu eggs in there I was incubating at 97 degrees shelf level