Styrofoam Incubators Club

[hEEather]

No problem! There are so many knowledgeable people on here, there is all the information you need I drowned a hatch last year, then I went with the dry method and got the best hatch I'd ever had. Are you using the acurite "humidity monitor"? I've used that one and it's great. 
If you've incubated at 30-35% a lockdown humidity of 75% is perfectly fine. In fact, it gives you some cushion in case you need to open the incubator. 
Welcome to the club!  

I have the acurite thats reads temp and humidity, well 2 , that i compared for a few days before putting them in on a test run. This time I am following those levels for humidity! I also have a humidifier to use if needed in the room. I am not adding any water until lockdown.

 

[MeepBeep]

Here is what I use to get the thermometers up to the right level, just cardboard and sticky tac:

That little glass aquarium thermometer that can be had at Walmart for a couple of bucks is what I have been recommend people purchase, they are incredibly accurate for their price and the steel beads help create a buffer so you get a better constant reading not one that jumps up and down with the heating element going on and off...

If you go to Walmart to get one, my only suggestion is to take every one off the hook and compare the readings across them at the store to make sure you don't get a dud... Each time I have done this they were all dead on to each other, but it's nice to verify...

One thing I did that helped greatly beyond adding a fan, with my original foam incubator was to make a 2ish tall trim ring out of layered 1/2" foam that extended the the height of the incubator moving the element further from the eggs, this helped remove any hot spots and did wonders for consistency... This also provided more head room so I could hatch peafowl in it without them touching the heating element or getting scalped by the fan...

 

[BantyChooks]

Poor knowledge of humidity levels and rhe whole proscess really. Having it really high before and during lockdown. Way too high! 60-70% before and then durning 70-80%. I also didnt remove the ventilation caps during the whole incubation period. They have holes for allowing air but i didnt open the ones made for proper ventilation. I went off of somebody elses poor to little advice. Not that they are to blame. I simply did not do my research.

Oh boy, yeah, that would do it!

That little glass aquarium thermometer that can be had at Walmart for a couple of bucks is what I have been recommend people purchase, they are incredibly accurate for their price and the steel beads help create a buffer so you get a better constant reading not one that jumps up and down with the heating element going on and off...

If you go to Walmart to get one, my only suggestion is to take every one off the hook and compare the readings across them at the store to make sure you don't get a dud... Each time I have done this they were all dead on to each other, but it's nice to verify...

One thing I did that helped greatly beyond adding a fan, with my original foam incubator was to make a 2ish tall trim ring out of layered 1/2" foam that extended the the height of the incubator moving the element further from the eggs, this helped remove any hot spots and did wonders for consistency... This also provided more head room so I could hatch peafowl in it without them touching the heating element or getting scalped by the fan...

I did that!

-Banti

 

[beetandsteet]

I have the acurite thats reads temp and humidity, well 2 , that i compared for a few days before putting them in on a test run. This time I am following those levels for humidity! I also have a humidifier to use if needed in the room. I am not adding any water until lockdown.

Perfect!

 

[beetandsteet]

That little glass aquarium thermometer that can be had at Walmart for a couple of bucks is what I have been recommend people purchase, they are incredibly accurate for their price and the steel beads help create a buffer so you get a better constant reading not one that jumps up and down with the heating element going on and off...

If you go to Walmart to get one, my only suggestion is to take every one off the hook and compare the readings across them at the store to make sure you don't get a dud... Each time I have done this they were all dead on to each other, but it's nice to verify...

One thing I did that helped greatly beyond adding a fan, with my original foam incubator was to make a 2ish tall trim ring out of layered 1/2" foam that extended the the height of the incubator moving the element further from the eggs, this helped remove any hot spots and did wonders for consistency... This also provided more head room so I could hatch peafowl in it without them touching the heating element or getting scalped by the fan...

That sounds like a fabulous idea! Thank you for sharing What kind of foam is that and where did you get it?

 

[MeepBeep]

1/2" extruded polyurethane foam, found in any big box hardware store or lumber yard...

http://www.menards.com/main/buildin...foam-insulating-sheathing/p-1444450501960.htm

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Owens-Co...uared-Edge-Insulating-Sheathing-36L/100320356

 

[BantyChooks]

Just did a day 14 candle, I set 12 eggs and 11 look great. The remaining 1 was a clear. No quitters!
-Banti

 

[beetandsteet]

Just did a day 14 candle, I set 12 eggs and 11 look great. The remaining 1 was a clear. No quitters!

-Banti

Yay!

 

[Papachook]

I just went into lock down with my LG with the added fan. I'm thinking that the 23 eggs mostly BCM, will probably not hatch. On day 14 I candled the eggs in a darkened room and when I replaced the lid I inadvertently left the thermostat on the outside of the incubator. I didn't notice it for almost an hour and it got pretty warm as it was reading my room temperature and the heater stayed on. I don't know if the eggs survived or not. We'll see in a couple of days. I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. I had noticed a post on here with the suggestion to get rid of the flimsy plastic that the probe wire is attache to and glue it to a golf ball. I was planning on doing that for the next hatch. Maybe if there was a golf ball flying around and bonked me in the knee I would be sure to place it in the incubator. on another note, does anyone have any tips for candling very dark Marans eggs?

 

[beetandsteet]

I just went into lock down with my LG with the added fan. I'm thinking that the 23 eggs mostly BCM, will probably not hatch. On day 14 I candled the eggs in a darkened room and when I replaced the lid I inadvertently left the thermostat on the outside of the incubator. I didn't notice it for almost an hour and it got pretty warm as it was reading my room temperature and the heater stayed on. I don't know if the eggs survived or not. We'll see in a couple of days. I'm feeling pretty stupid right now. I had noticed a post on here with the suggestion to get rid of the flimsy plastic that the probe wire is attache to and glue it to a golf ball. I was planning on doing that for the next hatch. Maybe if there was a golf ball flying around and bonked me in the knee I would be sure to place it in the incubator. on another note, does anyone have any tips for candling very dark Marans eggs?

Dang! That really stinks. Mistakes like that happen though, so don't feel bad. It's better that they were day 14 though, they're a lot tougher by then. Please let me know if any hatch!
It's hard to candle dark eggs (like Welsumer and Marans) but I look for the veining near the air cell to determine whether or not they're alive. I rarely throw away any dark shelled eggs unless they are starting to smell.