I clean our styrofoam bator between batches with a full spray/saturation at full strength, followed by air drying in between each round, in this sequence: white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide, and then rubbing alcohol. I know some people do theirs with a chlorine bleach dilution, but I wouldn't do it unless I absolutely had to and I had several days to air out the off-gassing of the bleach before using the bator. But you may be at that point, especially with no water.Well, our humidity is still up in the 60’s-70’s in the incubator on day 3not much we can do to lower it though... this hatch is probably going to be a real trial by fire conditions wise!
For sun and dry weather again.
In other news my Marans girls (I only set 2 Marans eggs out of 20 eggs, because guess who decided to stop laying as soon as I started collecting to hatch?) have started laying again! So should I hold back some eggs to see if there are any duds at candling and try for a staggered hatch? Or fire up the second incubator again?
Speaking of incubators I have a question for all you people with lots of styrofoam ‘bator experience. So... due to a “mishap” with our water supply (not us! an Aunt drunkenly left a tap running all night which drained the 1000 gallon water holding tank) I have been cut off from water for going on over two weeks now. I’m buying drinking water by the gallon (at $5!!!) from the local store, and refilling my jerrycans at random friends houses whenever I can on the side of the island with the water system. I’m currently hauling pond water for the livestock by hand and we are “not allowed to use any water” (though they are at the farm, including the “oops, I drained all your water and flooded your septic system overnight, oh well” person) until the tank is completely refilled
But my second incubator still needs properly cleaned and disinfected, and it’s starting to smell funky, very funky. Is it ruined? Will I be able to save it? I scrubbed out the one I set the eggs in as best I could with my limited clean water, but it still has an “off” aroma. I really wish the interior was a less permeable surface! So how to proceed, and does that smell mean my hatch is doomed already?
I think you'll be okay with no rinse. I usually do rinse, but I usually have water. If you follow with the hydrogen peroxide, you'll essentially be rinsing anyway. Plus, vinegar is generally considered safe around chicks, from all I've heard. When I'm raising chicks with no mom in a brooder, I put cider vinegar in their water to counteract stress issues/pasty butt. If you want to be extra careful, use cider vinegar rather than the white vinegar - I think the white is more acidic.
