temp regulating problems

[DURR]

Ok so I have just recently made my home made bator out of a styrofoam cooler - 22 qrt. - I chose to opt. Out on the thermastat seeing as I have absolutly no idea how to do it and don't feel like burning anything down. I have put multipul vent holes in the cooler toi help keep the temp at a normal temp. And I am using a 29 watt halogen bulb. I was thinking since it takes me sprayin the inside of the bator down every 30 - 45 mins that I may need to lower the wattage of my bulb, over night I leave the lid cracked and when I checked the temp this morning it was at 86 degrees. I don't want to fry my chickies. ( Don't worry they're not set in their yet!)

 

[sumi]

I think a thermostat is quite handy for regulating temperature in the incubator. Why are you spraying the incubator down all the time? Have a look here:

Cooler Bator 101

Sally Sunshine built this incubator using a cooler box and she's had much success using it for her hatches. Maybe you can pick up some tips from her.

 

[DURR]

Thank you! I was looking for info like that! But so far with what I've been doing has been keeping the temp constant and the humidity where it needs to be!

 

[sumi]

You are welcome. If you have any questions reg this incubator shoot Sally Sunshine a PM. She's awesome

She'll be happy to help you. Good luck and come join the fun on her thread, Diary & Notes ~ Air Cell Detatched SHIPPED Eggs when you start incubating your eggs.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Ok so I have just recently made my home made bator out of a styrofoam cooler - 22 qrt. - I chose to opt. Out on the thermastat seeing as I have absolutly no idea how to do it and don't feel like burning anything down. I have put multipul vent holes in the cooler toi help keep the temp at a normal temp. And I am using a 29 watt halogen bulb. I was thinking since it takes me sprayin the inside of the bator down every 30 - 45 mins that I may need to lower the wattage of my bulb, over night I leave the lid cracked and when I checked the temp this morning it was at 86 degrees. I don't want to fry my chickies. ( Don't worry they're not set in their yet!)

Hello Durr! I am from PA

I soooo hope you have a great hatch! What breed do you have in the bator? are they shipped or your own eggs? alot of eggs?
I have some in lockdown in the coolerbator now

Thank you Sumi

for the nice words!

Durr what I am most afraid of is the low temp you stated...... first you should have a look at viability of eggs at certain temps....
you can find that here..... http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/poweroff.html but please disregard the title, the article does have some of the best info I found online yet!

As far as the wafer thermostat and lighting...... it is EXTREMELY important to have the steady temp.
PLUS do not be intimidated by that wiring! seriously look at the link to the coolerbator. All instructions and videos are there, its simple!!

I wish you the best of luck!! Nothing like hatching peeps!!

 

[DURR]

I currently have 18 easter egger eggs in there, my hens don't want to brood for me haha. I've got the temp steadying around 95-100 degree's now and humidity between 35 - 53. I've read eggs will still hatch at lower temps it just takes them a little longer, and at the 86 it was before they were set. The lowest I had with them in there was 93 when I candled a couple. Come to find out my tank I had them in before had actually substained them! So I have some growing chickies! It looks like a few may hatch within the next few weeks! And I've noticed the video's on your thread sally and my hubby says we'll get a thermastat this week so wish us luck! And I hoping to have some chicks by the 6th of january.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I currently have 18 easter egger eggs in there, my hens don't want to brood for me haha. I've got the temp steadying around 95-100 degree's now and humidity between 35 - 53. I've read eggs will still hatch at lower temps it just takes them a little longer, and at the 86 it was before they were set. The lowest I had with them in there was 93 when I candled a couple. Come to find out my tank I had them in before had actually substained them! So I have some growing chickies! It looks like a few may hatch within the next few weeks! And I've noticed the video's on your thread sally and my hubby says we'll get a thermastat this week so wish us luck! And I hoping to have some chicks by the 6th of january.

How exciting! your own babies!! I have two EEs and one lays the prettiest blue egg I ever seen!! the other lays brown egg! stinker!!

A lower temp can delay incubation, however it can cause much more harm than good. we are seeing so many chicks that give their hatchers so much grief because of lower temps in homemade bators its so frustrating too, trying to help when they dont know what to do. I feel so bad because its hard to help in words ya know!! Also if you are Still air your temp should be 102 not 99.5....

REMINDER.....
Eggs incubated at temps to low will cause late hatching and the chick will possibly start to hatch but never finish. Low temps can cause deformities in the chicks also. So you can see that the temperature is a Vital part of your incubation. The development of the embryo greatly depends on the correct heat at all times. This will work together for a correct time of your hatch and what quality of chick you will have.

I LOVE our coolerbator I will NEVER EVER buy a incubator again!! USE THE WAFER THermostat, dont waste your money on a hot water heater one!! And so EASY PEASY!!! All the info is there I am sure you both can do it no problem!!! Just remember to keep the fan so it blows across the lamps BUT keep lamps and fan high enough that chicks cant reach or if need be cover the fan with wire. I am putting duck eggs in for lockdown in a few days so I had to add wire to our fan because if they are so much larger than chicks I dont want them gettin inthe fan with their lil cute beaks!!

your more than welcome to come hang out in the thread Sumi and I always check in on https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...ell-detatched-shipped-eggs/2370#post_10129660 (ignore the title) we hatch just about any egg we get our hands on and SOME!! LOL alot of great help and some kiddos that are great check in as well!! Just come over and say hello and what you got going!!!

 

[DURR]

Ok so since I have no fan I can let the temp go to 102?

 

[Sally Sunshine]

I missed your post!! How did things go???

 

[DURR]

First batch everyone died due to a high temp when I left to go to town and came back it was 104!! But this second batch is doing great! The temp is still fluctuating but not as much as first now the gap is between 97-102 at all times. Humidity is now giving me a problem though!!! But the eggs look good and are developing real good and at a normal rate got babies due the 21st!