We made our own egg-u-bator! eggs in 9:40am 3/13, THEY HATCHED!!!!!

[Chickenfarmer 1-2-b]

I use a light socket splitter from home depot, about $2, so I can use 2 bulbs, just in case one burns out when I am at work. I have 2 60w bulbs just because what I have lying around in the house. I use the water heater thermostat which works relatively well, but the tempt started to drift down about once a week, needed to adjust the knob a little to get it back up. This means that I have to open the bator to do this, but it's not ideal during lock down period. I now face the adjustment knob into the wall and drill a hole in the bator so I can adjust the knob with a screw driver from the outside. I face the fan blowing into the wall instead of over the eggs.

Andy

 

[raimnel]

Ok eggs are in at 9:40am on March 13th. Their due to hatch right around Easter! YAY!!

My oldest son named the incubator the Egg-U-Bator!
It's made out of an old cooler! We just can't wait now! Hopefully my 5 kids stay away from it.

 

[Kristian]

Yea I agree show us some picture. Becouse I want to make my own incubater too.
Quote:

 

[raimnel]

ok here's some pictures of mine.
The Egg-U-Bator (Cooler) notice to PURPLE tape! I found some

Theres a turner stick on the outside for turning the eggs on the inside without opening it. The window isn't taped completly down so I can get in there w/o opening it completly up. a syringe for adding water, works great! and corks

My turner that I made all by myself. our light, thermostate, fan and thermometers/hydrometers

 

[raimnel]

the temp still isn't back up to where it should be? it's been riding at 95-100 depending where the thermometer is. I'm hoping this will be ok. I will continue to be checking it all day.
Man I can't wait till Easter!

What are ur thoughts about not turning them a weekend before hatch? We'll be gone! well I can have my dad come over 3x a day, he wont mind. Thanks Dad!

 

[raimnel]

OK, my Egg-U-Bator is on its 2nd day with EE, brahma and ?silkie? eggs. And me just having to try, bought a dozen darker brown eggs from a small town store that are from a local farm. I cracked 2 eggs in a bowl and 1 was fertile. SOOOOO now theother 10 are on the counter getting room temp for 24 hours then into the 'bator they will go!! Why? cause I gotta try. I have no clue how many others are fertile. I have NO clue what chicken laid them. Heck I don't even know IF there even chicken eggs. (probally are) I do know what day they were packaged on (Fri 3/12/10) and it's now 3/14/10. however is this the day they were laid? I'm not sure! But it's an experiment, and I like them. No harm done they would have been eaten anyways. and I paid $2.30 for them.

 

[raimnel]

Egg-U-bator still running with temps between 95-102. I may add jars with water, but I don't know where I'll put the eggs.

day 2.... still going good

 

[raimnel]

I "candled" an egg or 4 and I see the ring/island thingy. This is good. I'm at day 2.5 and the store boughts are at 16 hours. I'm so excited I can hardly wait.

 

[raimnel]

I up'd the wattage to a 60w. Now the temps are 97-101.
I candled last night, day 5.5 for most. They look good, the ones that I can see in I see the eye and the tinyest chick in there. I also in some see veins. The other ones are 3.5 days and I see the island thing also good news.

I didn't put the heat sink in,

why?
Also My stupid turner broke, now I just use a stick to keep it up on one end then remove the stick to put that end down.

works I guess.

I just read somewhere here on BYC that candleing alot really isn't good for the chick, so I'm going to just watch from out here and turn turn turn and then candle on day 10......... Well see from there maybe again on day 14 IF I got IFies.

I hope not though. Then I'll candle on day 18 as I go into lock down.

Here's a picture of my egg that's being candled, not a very good picture but it is good results. See the black? that's the chick!

 

[Tala]

Good luck!!!!!!!! I'm having my first hatch and it is SOOOOO EXCITING!!!!!!

I hand turned my eggs, and I don't think candling them excessively will hurt them any more than hand turning

But what do I know?
I just pulled out the light when I turned them for the night, coz I was curious! lol