ReptiPro Incubator Hatch Along

[corvidae]

If either of mine decide to quit within the next few days, I'm gonna go postal and you'll hear the screams at least a few hundred miles away! I'm already bordering on being a twitching heap on the floor...

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
We might just use ares as a cooler next!

I find my LG more reliable than this incubator

 

[corvidae]

I seriously considered going with a Brinsea after my styrofoam 'bator failed so miserably. However, my son is taking up breeding Leopard Geckos and the Reptipro is far better suited to that than the Brinseas, imo. Couldn't really afford to get seperate incubators for each of us. So I took a bit of a chance and hope the Reptipro does chickens as well as it indicates. So far, they've developed nicely, and so as long as the bloody things don't fail in the next few days, I'll be pleased with them. I'm pretty dang nervous at the moment though--the top shelf is sitting very nicely at 100 degrees dead on, but the bottom is sitting about 96-97 degrees and I haven't manage to tweak it enough to change that without jacking the temp on the shelf unacceptably high. I'm wishing I'd left the second shelf in now, but it really just doesn't seem like there would be enough room between the shelves for the clumsy little chicks to stumble about... What to do, what to do...

 

[perolane]

Quote:
Corvidae...your hatch may be a little late due to rotating the eggs from top to bottom where there's the temp variance...so don't give up too soon! Make sure that you have paper towel, shelf liner, or something similar on the shelf on day 18 so little legs don't go through the shelf holes. Also wedge paper towel or something in the gap between door & shelf edge so chicks don't fall through.

I've always had good hatches in my Reptipro...just like any other incubator, you have to figure out how it works best for you. Until you see actual pips, open the door every day for added fresh air...ventilation is a big factor in a good hatch & this unit is lacking in that area, BUT you can work around it simply by opening the door for a minute or so until you have pips.

You'll be fine...wishing you a great hatch!!

 

[StevenW.]

Quote:
Leopard Geckos are so neat!
I hope you have a good hatch!
I hope Brinsea still has that coupon thing going on

 

[corvidae]

Quote:
I put sink liner--kind of a soft woven rubber deal with lots of small holes in it--cut to size on the shelf as well as the bottom. That way they won't fall through and they have a little traction. I also blocked the front edge with weather stripping. I think that impeded airflow somewhat more than I expected, as I am seeing a 4 degree difference pretty solidly between top and bottom where it was only maybe a 1-2 degree difference before. Course I had two shelves in it before, so maybe that made the difference. I pulled the eggs in the second incubator all up to the top shelf and it goes into lockdown today, but the first one that's already in lockdown has too many eggs to do that with, so we will see how they all fair. I think I am more nervous because out last hatch (in the styrofoam) went so horribly wrong than I am about the Reptipro in general. I don't like the temp difference, but what temp it does have it holds rock steady and the humidity is also pretty plug-n-play. Just stuck two baby jars of water in there and no worries. It's hitting right on 60%, which is where I want it.

Thanks for the encouragement! It helps a lot! I'm off to open the door of the Reptipro for a little air exchange...

 

[corvidae]

Just barely day 19 and we already have one pip on the top shelf (one of the Andalusians). I'm a little worried about having to get the chick out before the others have hatched, since it is so early and I don't expect the bottoms ones to hatch until post-dates, all things considered! Also, any ideas on how to manage the air-exchange without shrink-wrapping chicks? If they are going to string this hatch out over 3-4 days, that's a bit too long to leave chicks in there or to not open the door a bit for air exchange? Anyone have any experience with this?

 

[corvidae]

Hm, my son just texted me that another has pipped on the top shelf. This is apparently going to be interesting. I don't get home until about 7:30 am. I'm starting to wonder how many chicks I'm going to see when I get home and what exactly I'm going to do with them. Good thing I'm off work the next couple of days...

 

[perolane]

Corvadie....the newly hatched chicks will be fine for about 24 hours without opening the door in the Reptipro.

This is what I do: Any chicks that are in the bator at every 24 hour mark, I take out. Turn the unit OFF, wait a few seconds to make sure fan has stopped...then QUICKLY snatch the chicks. Have a spray bottle of warm water ready...mist the unhatched eggs & inside of the bator, close the door, then turn unit back ON. It will come back to temp quickly.

Only open the door as wide as you need to grab chicks....mist thoroughly...& get out quickly.

 

[StevenW.]

I got the incubator working again last nite but now it doesn't work