Setting 80 on 9/8, 10/1, 10/24, and probably 11/16

[WVduckchick]

The problem I see with plastic rails and letting them bulge is they might slip out of the groove in the end walls. It sure seems like there should be a better solution, so I hope you come up with something.
I do think the foam would have been a great solution if I hadn't been doing bantam eggs and squeezed 5 rows instead of 4, so I didn't really have room for the foam in all rails. I think I only used 2 strips of foam.

And I agree the tilt is something else! Scared the crap outta me the first time I saw it go all the way on one side.

 

[NTBugtraq]

The problem I see with plastic rails and letting them bulge is they might slip out of the groove in the end walls. It sure seems like there should be a better solution, so I hope you come up with something.
I do think the foam would have been a great solution if I hadn't been doing bantam eggs and squeezed 5 rows instead of 4, so I didn't really have room for the foam in all rails. I think I only used 2 strips of foam.

And I agree the tilt is something else! Scared the crap outta me the first time I saw it go all the way on one side.

Well, if we put that foam tape on the ends of the plastic rails we can probably get them to stay in place. Besides, when I say they can bulge I still expect eggs in the next row, so they aren't going to bulge much, they just won't be the hard metal that the original rails are.

 

[NTBugtraq]

This is the loudest bunch of chicks I have had so far...has anyone come up with any theories as to why they make so much noise? I mean these guys just do not stop. I have check to make sure they have water and food, so it shouldn't be that...sheesh, I need ear plugs.

 

[WalnutHill]

Happy chatter or stress talk?

 

[NTBugtraq]

Happy chatter or stress talk?

I wish I could tell the difference??

 

[WalnutHill]

Record a 5 to 10 second video and share it.

Happy chatter is random and soft except for the occasional "ouch you bit my face", chilled tends to be in unison and sharp/loud, crowded is generally chatter but more of the loud "ouch" cries.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Record a 5 to 10 second video and share it.

Happy chatter is random and soft except for the occasional "ouch you bit my face", chilled tends to be in unison and sharp/loud, crowded is generally chatter but more of the loud "ouch" cries.

Ok, if it happens again I will do that @WalnutHill , that's a great suggestion. However, I watched them for like 10 minutes and found this one that was the most vocal. Not know what its issue was, I picked it up, dunked its beak in the water, and then set it beside the bottle. Well, it went to town on water for like 15 minutes...;-] And, no more loud squawks. So, I guess it was a stress squeak, and I guess I know what to do next time...;-]

All quiet on the western front for almost the entire day...woot!

 

[NTBugtraq]

Fwiw, what I was experiencing were extremely loud cheeps. Compare that to the normal very quiet cheeps that chicks make. And constant, like not relenting very loud cheeps. The constant quiet cheeping of chicks is really not a distraction, almost soothing, but then when one guy get's stressed, its an extremely loud call for help. Best way I can describe it.

 

[WalnutHill]

You found it, so all is well.

 

[NTBugtraq]

Ok, so I was asked to talk about the differences of the two bators I used, a Janoel and a Brinsea Octo 40 ADV EX. Well, today I cleaned them both, and I gotta say, neither were fun to clean.

The Janoel, I had to remove 12 screws to get the grill out of the top, so I could blow out the dust with a compressor. Despite removing all screws, I could only move the top grill, it wouldn't be removed. So I had to blow the dust around, not out. The 4 "viewing portals" were extremely hard to clean, and I had to accept they wouldn't get completely cleaned. Considering the heating coil and wiring is up in there, using anything other than air would be a bad idea (I figured). The base, with its many channels, had to be cleaned with a scrub brush in my washtub sink (won't fit in a kitchen sink). As with the bottom grill. One a scale where 2 = washing a dinner plate and 10 = washing a garden tractor, I'd say it was a 6, but I bet I could get a garden tractor cleaner.

The Brinsea Octo 40 ADV EX, was equally a challenge. The upper grill is held on my 14 screws, unnecessarily long. Once removed, 2 of the 4 fans immediately come loose. None of the fans are actually screwed in...strange. So when you move the top around to clean it all (again with air), stuff moves and you gotta watch so you know where to put it when re-assembling. Of course the other hilarity is that the Brinsea top is curved, so taking out and putting in screws isn't easy. While the Brinsea base has nicely curved surfaces, its harder to clean than the Janoel because the wells are deeper, a simple scrub brush won't do.

I would say that neither of these incubators were designed to be cleaned. The challenges that both present are not addressed in the user manuals, and frankly I don't think either manufacturer cares. "You figure it out" seems to be the guiding factor.

Styrofoam bators are no better as any attempt to aggressively clean them (e.g. with a scrub brush) only leads to chewed up Styrofoam.

So, I'd say I am not impressed with either as they make the task of sterilizing them too difficult to ensure reliable results.