Wisconsin "Cheeseheads"

[jvls1942]

My plowboy (AKA hubs) is going to do his thing in the garden today. YAY!

The dog is REALLY going to need a bath tonight!!

that's not nice, after all the work he is going to do for you,
you shouldn't call him a dog ..

 

[Angiebubs]

I used to use the Hova and the Little Giant. I ran 8 of them at a time the last year that I ran them,
then I sold all but one and now I have 3 Sportsmans.,

For the first batch, I would go with what you have.

I would NOT put the most expensive or exotic eggs in there for the first time.

Is the thermostat digital,, or solid state ? I never saw one with digital.

I didn't know they now come with a hygrometer either.

.........jiminwisc........

You will go crazy watching to see if the turner is working.
It turns so slowly. I forget how many times it turns in 24 hours.. I think it is 4 ? you will just have to start it up and then check it every hour or so..

........jiminwisc........
ETA
OK I just checked it out on Amazon. it is not what I expected to see, but yes, you have a digital thermometer/hygrometer.
Not a digital thermostat like I was picturing in my head.
I am assuming (hoping) you have a fan ?

On the turner motor, it might tell you something about the cycles .

It is NOT a good idea to get or compare two thermometers and average them. what if both read high, or both read low, ? what do you gain ?
Use just one and trust it..

Thanks Bigz and Jim
Yes it has the digital humidity and temp readings with a fan And it seems that these have been pretty accurate since 2013 updates so I will just trust them. I am hatching Salmon Faverolles eggs from my 2 breeding pens so crossing my fingers. The oldest collected egg will be about 10 days old when I put them in this evening. I keep reading not to put in dirty eggs but that a little dirt is ok....what is a "little" dirty? I keep thinking that under a momma they can be dirty and have some fluctuation in temps/humidity too? Also what do you recommend for humidity? Keep reading a wide range on this also. Currently it is reading about 55%

 

[jvls1942]

You are going to get a wide range of advice about humidity,
the worst one is , "Do what works for you"
that is OK if you have done some hatches, but it doesn't help at all for the beginner,

I run at 40 to 45 % humidity.

raise it as high as 60 to 65% at hatching time.

those plugs in the top of your Hova are to control the humidity,, they are not for controlling the temperature.

I used to run the Hova and LG without the plugs until I needed to raise the humidity at the end..

in my sportsmans, when I am rotating hatches, I keep the humidity at about 45% and it works just fine as long as I spritz a little water mist if I open the door.

don't try to imitate a hen,

just do what it takes to get your bator working for you.

.........jiminwisc...........

 

[jvls1942]

well, I got the two pine trees cut down.. I pushed them to the side of the driveway for now.
I think I could get 4 saw logs out of them, if I had some place I could take them,, all the guys who used to saw for me are retired, disabled, or dead.

If anybody wants to come and get them for firewood or logs, they are free for the taking. I can load them with the tractor.

Annie found two hiding places with eggs in them, I wonder how many more places there are ?
time to lock the chickens in for a few days until they figure out what the nests are for..

......jiminwisc...........

 

[Angiebubs]

You are going to get a wide range of advice about humidity,
the worst one is , "Do what works for you"
that is OK if you have done some hatches, but it doesn't help at all for the beginner,

I run at 40 to 45 % humidity.

raise it as high as 60 to 65% at hatching time.

those plugs in the top of your Hova are to control the humidity,, they are not for controlling the temperature.

I used to run the Hova and LG without the plugs until I needed to raise the humidity at the end..

in my sportsmans, when I am rotating hatches, I keep the humidity at about 45% and it works just fine as long as I spritz a little water mist if I open the door.

don't try to imitate a hen,

just do what it takes to get your bator working for you.

.........jiminwisc...........

Thanks Jim-that's what I seem to keep reading-that a slighty lower humidity then what the mfg recommended is ideal (45%) range. I want to put the eggs in tonight but also want to lower the humidity slightly. I am thinking of pulling the red plug and seeing what happens to the humidity for the next couple hours. Thanks again!

 

[jvls1942]

don't fret too much about the humidity.
stabilize your temperature and you can gradually adjust the humidity. humidity being high or low for short periods of time are not too detrimental ..

It might be too late for this, but I always set any incubator's temperature with as low of humidity that I can get.
I set the temperature at about 100F dry..
then when you add water, the temperature will go down.
if the temperature goes back up to 100F during incubation, it only means that you need to add water ..
If you do this, your temperature should never "spike" to too hot ..

........jiminwisc...........

 

[bigzio]

Busy day here today. I ran the splitter for over a hour and then it took a couple hours to get it all stacked and covered with tarps. I've been hoping to get at the garden, but not quite yet with all the other stuff that needs attention first.

Yep, I run between 40 an 50 RH during incubation...that would give you 45 about spot on and then I run 65 or higher during hatching...keep in mind angiebubs that when the peeps hatch the RH will spike higher, and that's just fine.

I'm busy here Jim with all the wood I have to make...otherwise I would come and get em. I do have a friend that saws logs if you find someone to haul them to his rig. I forget what he charges me, but it's reasonable for sure.
We built the pole barns at Camp with wood all sawed of the property there.....hauled out to his rig and back again.

Gonna take my eggs off the turner tonight...add some water, maybe candle, time really flies by...can't believe how fast it goes by!

I'm lovin this busy time of year....bigz

 

[jvls1942]

Busy day here today. I ran the splitter for over a hour and then it took a couple hours to get it all stacked and covered with tarps. I've been hoping to get at the garden, but not quite yet with all the other stuff that needs attention first.

Yep, I run between 40 an 50 RH during incubation...that would give you 45 about spot on and then I run 65 or higher during hatching...keep in mind angiebubs that when the peeps hatch the RH will spike higher, and that's just fine.

I'm busy here Jim with all the wood I have to make...otherwise I would come and get em. I do have a friend that saws logs if you find someone to haul them to his rig. I forget what he charges me, but it's reasonable for sure.
We built the pole barns at Camp with wood all sawed of the property there.....hauled out to his rig and back again.

Gonna take my eggs off the turner tonight...add some water, maybe candle, time really flies by...can't believe how fast it goes by!

I'm lovin this busy time of year....bigz

that's right, the humidity will go up from the chicks drying off after they hatch,,

I called my sister, she said she could send a couple of her boys out to help cut up the trees for firewood.
however, sometimes she doesn't get around to doing things.. so for me it is just tentative for now.

I could haul the couple of logs on the silverado, but it would cost me more for gas than the lumber would be worth.. I have plenty of lumber, but I just hate to see nice straight logs go to waste..

there is a sawmill less than 5 miles from me, but I don't know if they would bother with just a few small logs..
I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask, eh ?

I am thinking garden also, but it is way too early for most things.. we could still have frost.. I have seen snow on opening day of fishing..
.........jiminwisc........

 

[Cindlady]

Hi All!

Nothing New.

Night All.

 

[cuties]

Angiebubs, when I first got my incubator, I called Jim and set it exactly to his instruction. I also set the hatcher to the higher humidity he suggested. I haven't touched either since, and we get great hatch rates here.
Remember my first hatch guys? It was eggs from TO. She had some that were 4 months old. She had a project shed been collecting for. And REALLY wanted the chicks. I was so nervous. ...
But even those eggs had a 65% rate. Our fresh ones average 95%. Except the French Black Copper Marans. because those hens are 3 years old, and fertility is effected.