Trader Joes & Other Grocery Store Egg Hatching Club - Are you a Member

[gotro17]

You can use a cool down cycle but is would be manual. The risk is forgetting to turn it back on. Some set an alarm on their smart phone to remind them. Others go to the incubator, turn it off and then go do the chicken Chores. After the chores are finished, they turn the incubator back on.

I have done this when hatching in the Genesis when the Brinsea is full. I only forgot to turn it back on once...The chicks were fine too.

Thank you... So...what is the purpose/advantage of the cool dow? Also- what are the lengths of time and intervals, when doing manually?

 

[ronott1]

Thank you... So...what is the purpose/advantage of the cool dow? Also- what are the lengths of time and intervals, when doing manually?

On average, one more chick will hatch. Those that do hatch are more vigorous.

I has helped eggs that have been exposed to shipping stress.

The cool down cycle is from day 8 to 18 for one to two hours a day.

 

[gotro17]

On average, one more chick will hatch. Those that do hatch are more vigorous.

I has helped eggs that have been exposed to shipping stress.

The cool down cycle is from day 8 to 18 for one to two hours a day.

Oh wow- great! Thank you! Does it have to be at the same time each day? Is it the obvious...simply turning it off?

 

[ronott1]

Oh wow- great! Thank you! Does it have to be at the same time each day? Is it the obvious...simply turning it off?

Don't work that hard at it--just once every day. You can even skip a day and it will help with the hatch. There is a noticeable difference in the chicks when you use the cool down cycle.

 

[Peep_Show]

The cool down cycle is meant to mimic the time when the hen would step off the nest for food/drink/pooping and the eggs wouldn't have that nice warm downy chicken warming them. You can also imitate the cycle by taking the lid off your incubator. Before I got the Brinsea I would just open the lid for 15-20 minutes a day, candle, check the water, whatever. Just had to remember to put the lid back on.

 

[gotro17]

The cool down cycle is meant to mimic the time when the hen would step off the nest for food/drink/pooping and the eggs wouldn't have that nice warm downy chicken warming them.   You can also imitate the cycle by taking the lid off your incubator.   Before I got the Brinsea I would just open the lid for 15-20 minutes a day, candle, check the water, whatever.  Just had to remember to put the lid back on.

Yes- that was the thought I was having that made the most sense... Do you also feel it helped your hatch rates?

 

[Peep_Show]

I thought it was healthy to air out the incubator and get some fresh air in there. Not sure if my hatch rates were affected or not as I had shipped eggs and you just never know with those how they'll thrive.

 

[gotro17]

2/3 of ours

I thought it was healthy to air out the incubator and get some fresh air in there.   Not sure if my hatch rates were affected or not as I had shipped eggs and you just never know with those how they'll thrive.

2/3 of ours will be shipped... I need all the help I can get!

 

[ronott1]

The cool down cycle is meant to mimic the time when the hen would step off the nest for food/drink/pooping and the eggs wouldn't have that nice warm downy chicken warming them. You can also imitate the cycle by taking the lid off your incubator. Before I got the Brinsea I would just open the lid for 15-20 minutes a day, candle, check the water, whatever. Just had to remember to put the lid back on.

It does copy that--It has been studied and the results showed a two hour cool down had the best results.

There are a lot of things that people do that mimics what a hen does. The cool down cycle is one that has been proven to help. They have studied ducks and geese now too and they did better with a cool down cycle.

 

[ronott1]

This is what I hatched from $12.00 of Store eggs!