Still air incubators... Good or bad?

[Nicole01]

Are the success rates okay with the still air or is it better getting one with air flow or a fan. Are they good or bad?

I was looking at Hova's, but prefer a Brinsea mini. I need a small incubator, as the big ones will really get me into trouble.

I'm not quite sure how far apart my hatching days under my broody as two eggs developed slower for some odd reason. Plus, I was given a fertile egg already started by accident. All 7 of my eggs are doing very well at their different rates. I'd be heartbroken if they didn't hatch because momma was done sitting with the slower growers.

Or could I put the rest of the eggs under a heat lamp inside the coop and keep them a certain temp for the last week of hatching? It's plenty humid outside. Has anyone tried this or am I out of my mind thinking of this? I'm hoping to keep momma with the chick in the nest as long as possible to sit on the eggs. There's one that's pretty far developed then the rest.

If I do buy an incubator, I'm pretty sure I will not be able to stop myself from hatching.LOL. I think I'm driving myself nuts here.

Incubators are so expensive and this is bad timing. We just had my daughters graduation party last weekend and that was not cheap. We over spent by 200-300 bucks on food that was thrown out, not to mention the gift we bought her. Oh I think I'm going to faint.

I still might fork out the money for a small incubator. The still ones are cheaper, but I don't want to kill my hatch either. The Hova has okay reviews for the smaller one that's around $50. I'd love a cheaper one, but I think it'd kill my babies.

I wish I could find a used one, but that's impossible. I'm pretty sure hubby will be not happy if I spend money on an incubator in the next day or two if I go this route. I do not have the supply's to make one either.

My Cochin is a very good sitter for her first time. She won't even poop in the run, she walks outside to poop and comes back in. I watched her turn her eggs and she has the softest clucks around them. It's also amazing to candle and watch them move. The chicks are black, so they are easier to see. I can see the wings and beak when they moved.

I apologize for all the crazy posts lately, but I think I'm panicking about the age gap of the eggs. I've read so many articles and I hear momma's will sit 3-4 days after the first hatchlings.

I also read that the broody's know when the eggs are not viable. That she will push them out of the nest.

 

[Nicole01]

Maybe I can finish the hatch in a 10 gallon fish tank with a pan of water on one side and the eggs on the other? I have a digital thermometer with a humidity percent on it.

Now I need to know if I can get the temp and humidity right. Maybe this could work?

So I need temp at 99.5 and humidity at 50% for days 1-18, then humidity at 70-80% the last few days?

Do you think I may have a shot at it? Or should I break down and buy the hova. I'd really like the brinsea, but I can't afford anything right now. Ugh, I'm driving myself and probably you guys nuts too.lol

I found another way. Put a heating pad on low covered with a towel. Add water in a container, place eggs in, cover with plastic wrap and cut a 2x2 inch hole for air.

I'm trying both ways today to see if this will work. I'm praying it does.

 

[kizanne]

Whatever you try please keep us updated, I know I'm interested in how it turns out.

If you have a heat lamp that would go in a brooder then you could probably make a simple incubator that would work in a pinch.

I run my incubator (please note only on second hatch not that experienced, have read and read and read on this site and others) at 99.5 degrees at the top of the egg but mine is a forced air. for still air I believe the top of the egg is supposed to be a little higher. One site I read says top of egg 102 degrees. it would be cooler below and warmer above. I use 35-45% humidity from 1-18 and 55-70% humidity from 19-21.

Please note everything below is just thinking out loud and never tried by me so don't have any idea if it will work.

However, you mentioned an aquarium and some water that could work. If you set this up in a room with stable temperatures, indoors away from drafts, sunlight, vents and put the lamp on and over the aquarium then you could see if you can get a stable temp/humidity. Theoretically with all conditions staying the same the set up will eventually stabilize. IF it is too warm raise the lamp to cool lower the lamp. You would want to make sure that you find a stable setting before putting eggs in there because obviously you can 't stay there 24 hours a day raising and lowering. I also already own (and perhaps you do to) a humidifier for when my daughter gets sick. It is a room humidifier but you could use it to make the room more humid during lockdown which will make raising the humidity easier.

At Lowe's I bought a simple little portable temp/humidity reader and one of it's nice features is it gives me high and low readings so I can tell if while I was gone I had a temp spike. I also have two extra thermometers that I use to make sure the electric one is accurate. The electric sometime will tell me it is 98 degrees when both mercury based ones say 99.5. Anything you try will be better than just abandoning the eggs if the hen leaves. If you fail the results would not be different and if you succeed all the better there is no harm in trying.


Another crazy thought. My electronic stove will allow me to set it to 100 degrees. In a pinch if I could get the humidity to work I should be able to use my stove. You'd have to see if you could figure out what range of temps it allows but you know under a chicken the temps have to fluctuate right? You'd just have to be careful as a house heater heats 2 degrees above before turning off on a stove I don't know what its range is. And the best part is I already own the stove and it is run from it's own thermostat. I wouldn't relish cleaning after hatch but..... I could definately not use it to cook for a week if needed. Crock pot, single burner camping stove, grill, eat out, toaster oven. I wouldn't use the cook top because it might affect the stove temps.

 

[Black Cochin Bantams]

I used a still air incubator for over 5 years and kept it as a backup for overflow eggs or if the newer ones break. The cheap ones are prone to heat spikes but that can be managed with regular monitoring and minor adjustments. Keep any incubator where the temp is most stable(closet, basement) where ever they won't get big room temp variations. I know that hovabators are the standard most cheap incubators are measured by. I have since upgraded to digital preset Hovabator Genesis units. No adjustments ever needed with the Genesis but if you do your part you will get good hatches with a still air unit. If you can hatch in an aquarium you are better than I. I think it is a bad idea.

 

[kizanne]

Nicole have you tried the where are you where am I thread. You might could find someone in your area willing to finish the hatch in their bator. If you were near here I wouldn let you stick them in my bator.

 

[Nicole01]

Okay, I just whipped up a homemade incubator with my fish tank. I'm not fond of leaving a heating pad on 24/7, but for a few days it will work.

Here it is, I'm heating it now and have a little bowl of water. I'm using my weather station as the thermometer. I'll have 3-4 eggs in the plastic container. I might throw a towel over the wire mesh(hardware cloth) under the water.

Everything is clean and disinfected.

 

[kizanne]

I don't think that heating pad will get hot enough, but let us know if it does!!

 

[Nicole01]

I took the mesh wire out and put the plastic on the bottom. If it doesn't work, I'll use my 150 watt heat lamp and put the setup downstairs where it's safer. It is good to find out now!

 

[Nicole01]

The humidity is 70% and temp 80 degrees in 10 minutes after the switch. The heating pad is on the lowest setting.

Hopefully this will only be for 3-5 days tops. I was given all the eggs within a 3 day span.

 

[kizanne]

well I'd keep an eye on temp. Once you get it up to 100 you want it to be stable. When will the first hatch day be? How much time do you have to play and try to get it right?