September Hatch-A-Long

[Red Star Rob]

Hi everyone!!  I guess I'm a little slow and still was in the august hatch a thon!!!  lol  I have 6 blue wyandotte and 8 blue laced red wyandotte eggs going good on day 15 today!  My temp wasn't good for the first couple days but had been perfect until after I candled yesterday, checked in on them a couple hrs later and it was at 104    It wasn't there long but not sure what its problem has been this hatch.  Temp has been at 100 since I fixed it last night.  I'm doing a dry hatch and all the air cells look great this time!  I will find out next week how everything did!!   .  Good luck to all hatching!

Regarding your temp fluctuation, what type of incubator are you using? If homemade and you're using a water heater thermostat (affected by radiant heat), check for fluctuations in your room temp, ie leaving the AC off and room heating up can affect your incubator temps. If commercial incubator with an ambient temp type thermostat then the thermostat might be "acting" up.

Then again, I have to watch my kids and make sure they don't touch my incubator without my supervision.

 

[Iko127]

Regarding your temp fluctuation, what type of incubator are you using? If homemade and you're using a water heater thermostat (affected by radiant heat), check for fluctuations in your room temp, ie leaving the AC off and room heating up can affect your incubator temps. If commercial incubator with an ambient temp type thermostat then the thermostat might be "acting" up.

Then again, I have to watch my kids and make sure they don't touch my incubator without my supervision.

Hi! I have a brower still air...This is only my second hatch. Brand new bator and it was fine for the first hatch. Nothing has changed, same room same temp in room. I think maybe my thermometer is off or maybe both...lol Who knows what makes them change. Its in a bathroom with no one but me that goes in to check on it. I thought it was good after day 2 since it has stayed the same temp but candled yesterday on day 14 and removed like 7 eggs that weren't viable. Maybe just the change of number of eggs did it. It seems to be ok rt now. Staying at 99/100. Actually would like the 101 but I'm not messing with the knob for 1 degree...lol I will see what i have Monday and then see what hatches!! I will be taking a little break from hatching and hoping to save some money and get a better bator and thermometer before hatching again

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi! I have a brower still air...This is only my second hatch. Brand new bator and it was fine for the first hatch. Nothing has changed, same room same temp in room. I think maybe my thermometer is off or maybe both...lol Who knows what makes them change. Its in a bathroom with no one but me that goes in to check on it. I thought it was good after day 2 since it has stayed the same temp but candled yesterday on day 14 and removed like 7 eggs that weren't viable. Maybe just the change of number of eggs did it. It seems to be ok rt now. Staying at 99/100. Actually would like the 101 but I'm not messing with the knob for 1 degree...lol I will see what i have Monday and then see what hatches!! I will be taking a little break from hatching and hoping to save some money and get a better bator and thermometer before hatching again

I have a fan in my incubator, but I lost two batches of turkeys this summer, (82 eggs . I also bought the incubator new this spring. I ran it for several week to make sure I had the temperature correct. I used the thermometer that came with it. I checked it with an old one we had here in the house.... BIG MISTAKE!!

After the second batch of dead embryos, I decided I was doing something wrong. I went and bought 3 new thermometers. All of them showed I was running 3 degrees. so instead of 99.5 I was at 102.5....

I finally found the perfect thermometer and actually hatched a batch in August. I got an indoor/outdoor one, and dangle the probe through the red vent hole at the level of the top of the eggs. Even with that I still noticed some variations but they were within a degree or so.

Can someone tell me,, does a water heater thermometer hold the temps fairly tight? I am thinking of building a new incubator, I do not like the "knob/temperature control on the one I bought, I feel like it is way too sensitive, a minute turn changes the temp by degrees....

 

[cream puff]

I could kvetch about incubators. I need to find the quintessential incubator (because none of my hens are broody right now). I need one that keeps the humidity and the temp right without me having to check it every five minutes. My poor chicks are suffering because I couldn't get the humidity right in my stupid incubator, and on ONE occasion my temps soared to 110 and I don't know how long for or why. This was the worst hatch ever.

 

[LisaLouHoo]

I started with this thread at the beginning of Sept, but the 3 eggs I set under my broody silkie didn't work out. Well, I'm back with another 3 eggs. I didn't think I was going to try again for a few reasons, but once mama was in the broody breaker and away from the other pooping silkies that were sharing her nest, I decided to give her 3 more Swedish Flower Hen x Buff Orp eggs. I just did it today, so very early in the game. Hopefully, these will hatch on Sept 26.

Congrats to all the chicks hatched so far and to all the chicks yet to come!

 

[duluthralphie]

I started with this thread at the beginning of Sept, but the 3 eggs I set under my broody silkie didn't work out. Well, I'm back with another 3 eggs. I didn't think I was going to try again for a few reasons, but once mama was in the broody breaker and away from the other pooping silkies that were sharing her nest, I decided to give her 3 more Swedish Flower Hen x Buff Orp eggs. I just did it today, so very early in the game. Hopefully, these will hatch on Sept 26.

Congrats to all the chicks hatched so far and to all the chicks yet to come!

WB and good luck on this hatch.

 

[Red Star Rob]

I started with this thread at the beginning of Sept, but the 3 eggs I set under my broody silkie didn't work out. Well, I'm back with another 3 eggs. I didn't think I was going to try again for a few reasons, but once mama was in the broody breaker and away from the other pooping silkies that were sharing her nest, I decided to give her 3 more Swedish Flower Hen x Buff Orp eggs. I just did it today, so very early in the game. Hopefully, these will hatch on Sept 26.

Congrats to all the chicks hatched so far and to all the chicks yet to come!

Sending best wishes your way for the second attempt.

 

[Red Star Rob]

Can someone tell me,, does a water heater thermometer hold the temps fairly tight? I am thinking of building a new incubator, I do not like the "knob/temperature control on the one I bought, I feel like it is way too sensitive, a minute turn changes the temp by degrees.... 
[/quote]


I am using my home built incubator with water heater thermostat, two light bulbs as the heat source, and computer fans to circulate air. I hold steady at 100. Trick is to drill holes in the thermostat and have it close to one of the light bulbs to sense the radiant heat. I'll try to post pics if you'd like but have to work in a little bit.

 

[Iko127]

I have a fan in my incubator, but I lost two batches of turkeys this summer, (82 eggs . I also bought the incubator new this spring. I ran it for several week to make sure I had the temperature correct. I used the thermometer that came with it. I checked it with an old one we had here in the house.... BIG MISTAKE!!

After the second batch of dead embryos, I decided I was doing something wrong. I went and bought 3 new thermometers. All of them showed I was running 3 degrees. so instead of 99.5 I was at 102.5....

I finally found the perfect thermometer and actually hatched a batch in August. I got an indoor/outdoor one, and dangle the probe through the red vent hole at the level of the top of the eggs. Even with that I still noticed some variations but they were within a degree or so.

Can someone tell me,, does a water heater thermometer hold the temps fairly tight? I am thinking of building a new incubator, I do not like the "knob/temperature control on the one I bought, I feel like it is way too sensitive, a minute turn changes the temp by degrees....

Incubators I'm learning can be a little difficult!..lol I hatched 4 on my first batch and lost five but I really think only because my humidity was high and the chicks were big and also malpositioned and never could pip. All were alive and rockin for hatch time. I know the fan can help. I just need to save some money and get the right stuff now that I have a clue about this. So many variables in hatching! I hope some hatch and do good this last time and then I will get better stuff.

 

[Y N dottes]

Can someone tell me,, does a water heater thermometer hold the temps fairly tight? I am thinking of building a new incubator, I do not like the "knob/temperature control on the one I bought, I feel like it is way too sensitive, a minute turn changes the temp by degrees....

I am using my home built incubator with water heater thermostat, two light bulbs as the heat source, and computer fans to circulate air. I hold steady at 100. Trick is to drill holes in the thermostat and have it close to one of the light bulbs to sense the radiant heat. I'll try to post pics if you'd like but have to work in a little bit.[/QUOTE]

X2. I also use a WHT and I can get to hold within .5 F