The Never Ending Hatching thread! For those of us that hatch all year long!

[RainyDayChicken]

I hatched out our first silkie and some RIR's and BA's last week here they are.




look at the silkie foot it is going to get you.

 

[Runawaylobster]

I bought a used Farm Innovators still air invubator on CL for 20 bucks

I tried it out and put some mutt eggs in for a test hatch. I killed them with a temo spike.

I hate that knob. It is way too sensitive. I went on ebay and bought a version of this:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/30-Off-110V...963?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc6101acb



I turn the knob in the built in thermostat up to hi and plug the bator's power cord into the thermostat. It works brilliantly and i have not had an issue with the bator since

still waiting for mine to show up... I just set about 20 eggs from my layer pen, they will be mutts but I want to see if the roo is fertile... and besides I just love hatching chicks..

 

[maryhysong]

I'm wondering if some of you 'bator experts can give me some advice. I bought a used hovabator #1583, with the big picture window and it has a fan. Plugged it in and having a hard time getting the temp evened out. If I twist it until the light comes on it runs up to about 120 degrees and if I turn it down until the light barely goes off it goes down to 70 degrees.

I'm thinking that the problem is the wafer, there is actually some damage to it, but is there anything else I should replace at the same time?

 

[maryhysong]

Woot! first baby isout of it's shell and I can see a couple more pips. Happy dance

 

[Runawaylobster]

I'm wondering if some of you 'bator experts can give me some advice. I bought a used hovabator #1583, with the big picture window and it has a fan. Plugged it in and having a hard time getting the temp evened out. If I twist it until the light comes on it runs up to about 120 degrees and if I turn it down until the light barely goes off it goes down to 70 degrees.

I'm thinking that the problem is the wafer, there is actually some damage to it, but is there anything else I should replace at the same time?

Hey you got chicks thats a great outcome .... I am going to try the thermostat controller that ozexpat reccommended, mine is on order but not received yet (Grrrrrr......). This makes total sense to me and would solve your problem because it overrides the thermostat in the incubator itself. I read an article on a comparison of the electronic thermostat in the LG vs the Hovabator wafer, and the electronic one was found to respond to changes faster, i was considering looking at a hovabator with a wafer but after i read the article i changed my mind.

BUT: trying not to count my chickens so to speak LOL! as long as the deal doesn't fall through I think i have scored myself a GQF Sportsman 1502...Picking it up this weekend YAY!!!!!

now this means i have to sell some chicks to justify the expense!!

 

[MarineCorpFarmr]

Hey Yall!
Just checking in. Still in the middle of the move from hell. Hopefully be back online soon. -MCF

 

[Little Wing]

Hey Yall!
Just checking in. Still in the middle of the move from hell. Hopefully be back online soon. -MCF

Hey Bud, been thinking about cha. Hope your getting close to finishing. I hate to move! It had to be hell with all this chickens. Good luck and hang in there.

 

[maryhysong]

Hey Yall!
Just checking in. Still in the middle of the move from hell. Hopefully be back online soon. -MCF

you're moving? With how many hundred chickens and eggs in the bator and.....? More guts than I got. I moved the last time 25 years ago with nothing but what I could bring in a pickup truck. Today it would take three semi's!

 

[maryhysong]

Hey you got chicks thats a great outcome .... I am going to try the thermostat controller that ozexpat reccommended, mine is on order but not received yet (Grrrrrr......). This makes total sense to me and would solve your problem because it overrides the thermostat in the incubator itself. I read an article on a comparison of the electronic thermostat in the LG vs the Hovabator wafer, and the electronic one was found to respond to changes faster, i was considering looking at a hovabator with a wafer but after i read the article i changed my mind.

BUT: trying not to count my chickens so to speak LOL! as long as the deal doesn't fall through I think i have scored myself a GQF Sportsman 1502...Picking it up this weekend YAY!!!!!

now this means i have to sell some chicks to justify the expense!!

The chicks hatched out in the redwood cabinet bator I just bought. The hovabator I had bought second hand but hadn't had time to fool with it. Just has a wafer type thermostat. But on the GQF site you can buy separate, just the wafer, the screw it goes on and some kind of micro switch thingy that goes on under the wafer. Just wondering if it's probably just the wafer is bad or should I replace the switch too?

 

[Little Wing]

The chicks hatched out in the redwood cabinet bator I just bought. The hovabator I had bought second hand but hadn't had time to fool with it. Just has a wafer type thermostat. But on the GQF site you can buy separate, just the wafer, the screw it goes on and some kind of micro switch thingy that goes on under the wafer. Just wondering if it's probably just the wafer is bad or should I replace the switch too?

NOT an expert, but it sounds like the switch is working. The wafer tells it when to switch on and off. If the screw is in good shape, I would just buy the wafer and try that first.