# Need help. Brower still air incubator



## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I have a few questions about my Bater. I can have the temp set so that on the tray where the eggs sit i t reads 99.5 give or take a point or 2. But when I set the thermometer on top of the eggs it shows around 103.5! I placed a computer fan in it and with the fan running the temp jumps way up but with the fan of the still air stays at my stated temps. So if I have 103.5 on top and 99.5 on the bottom is this gonna work? This equals a 101.5 average. It's just getting really frustrating


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Since Brower is still in business I would contact them. From the pics it looks like the unit is old so they will need to know the model. Those upper temps are just too darned high.

Or if the temp is adjustable drop it so the lower temp is below 99.5. See what you get that way.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I just turned the temp down see what it does in the 2 hours before I head to bed. If I can get 101 at the top of the eggs I think it should be OK. But I really don't know just hoping for the best I guess. I did call the manufacturer and I will have to try tomorrow . their business hours are 8-5 and its quarter after 8pm here


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

To me if anyone is going to know what you should be seeing is them so your first instinct was good. 

With that upper temp so high it's almost like you'd have to turn the eggs end over end to keep the temp even inside of the egg and would have to do it several times a day.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Well I turned the temp down again. This is now what I have on the top of my eggs. Will this work


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

It looks better but I wouldn't trust the thermo. Those spirit filled thermos are notorious for being wrong. This is one place you really can't skimp when it comes to getting good hatches. I always used a GQF digital or later I had one for reptiles, those had to be accurate down to the inth degree. 

My high dollar Lyon came with a spirit filled thermo, the thing read low and would have cooked any eggs I put in there. Using my reptile thermo my hatches were excellent.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I was gonna pick a new one up tomorrow but this one is the most accurate of the 3 I have put in there. I work some crazy hours and live in 13 miles from any town that has more then a gas station. And all the stores that sell good things close at 6. Makes it hard to get there after work. My wife is always home around 1 pm and turns the eggs for me but other then that we aren't home much. I feed the chickens we have every morning at 6:30 and head to work. Can't complain about them . I get anywhere from 8-11 eggs per day and we have 11 hens and 2 roosters. I will keep an eye on these temps tonight and will adjust accordingly


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I quickly opened the lid and put the thermometer at the bottom and waited a little while and this is what it reads at the bottom level of the eggs


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What is that? 98? Lower is better since it's less apt to cook the embryo. 

I get the problem with getting to town when things are open. Or if you live where I do stores are not apt to have what I need so I turn to the internet to get what I need.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

About 97 on the bottom of the egg and it was like 100.5 on top. Of the egg . and ya around here you don't just go grab what you need from town lol


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I would go with the top of the egg at 100 and 3-4 times a day. I figure when a hen is sitting on them, the side on the bottom is not going to be as warm as the egg in contact with the hen.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Tony, you need to sell everything and buy a Genesis GQF 1588. Styrofoam with a fan, set temperature, and will tell you the humidity but you can't set it. Get a piece of bubblewrap to lay over the top and away you go. They run under $150.00 and worth every penny. And sell those things you have. It's not worth the aggravation. Just IMO


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

New thermometer and hygrometer tonight. And turned the fan on and this is what I have. I'm feeling hopeful now. And yes a new incubator is on the list but this is what I have to work with for now


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The only requirement is that you keep us posted.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I will! I will wait until day 7 to do my first candling. Not sure how many eggs are fertile. We have 2 roosters and 11 hens but as we all know they don't all get fertile. I will keep everyone updated


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

robin416 said:


> The only requirement is that you keep us posted.


True. And I hope this time it works!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Night 7. Candled the eggs. Removed 2 that had blood rings and left 2 in that i t was really hard to tell what was going on in there. The rest are looking really good so far! Humidity is a little low. Goes from 37 to 39. May have to put a sponge in the little water dish. Bit temp had been pretty steady 99-100. Has not gone off the wall like last time


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Eggs are looking good and temp is staying steady. Humidity went down a few points so I added another small water dish. I'm back to 44 percent. Probably had to do with the weather change the past 2 days here and the extreme wind we have had. Will keep you posted


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

Do you have one of those ear thermometers? If so, measure the shell temp at the middle of the egg.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

That's not a bad idea either but no I don't have one of them. I'm getting close to day 18 and I candled 2 days ago and all are alive and looking awesome. So I think I finally got it working right


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

They are looking great like I said. Way different then last time. I candled on day 14 and they are swimming around in there and it makes me hopefull


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## casportpony (Aug 22, 2015)

tonykummrow said:


> That's not a bad idea either but no I don't have one of them. I'm getting close to day 18 and I candled 2 days ago and all are alive and looking awesome. So I think I finally got it working right


Excited for you!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Day 18 tonight. Turned them for the last time. Put another small fish of water in to raise humidity to 57% now to just wait I guess! The embryos inside the eggs were all moving around when I candled them. Hoping for a good outcome !


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Got my fingers crossed!!!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Have 2 pips already! Tomorrow night through Tuesday night they are due to hatch


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Chicks are chirping and the wife and I are getting excited


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

How Eggciting!!!!!!! This is the best part. I think they'll all be out by noon tomorrow, if not by morning.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

woke up to one baby this morning. More eggs are chirping and a few more pips. Some pips are getting bigger . headed to work so gonna have the wife keep an eye on them. Moved the first chick to the brooder already and she seems to be content . will keep updating


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Congratulations on your 1st baby!I have found small pine shavings are better bedding than straw for chicks.Plus,it's absorbent and won't poke their eyes and it smells good. Here it costs the same as straw.I used straw in the the 1st couple of years until I found out about the pine shavings.No cedar-it's toxic.It's also easier to dispose of.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I cuncur, chicken queen


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Congratulations! Cute little chick. You should come home to a whole bunch.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Wife said 3 total so far but that was before she had to go to work. And ya would have used wood chips but straw is all I had


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

5 now. Most of the eggs that are left to hatch aren't due until tonight/tomorrow morning. Lots of pips and peeping eggs. And 5 beautiful chicks so far!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

We have 7 babies now!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Are those some silkies?
How exciting!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Buff Orpington rooster and white leghorn hens are the parents


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Do you feel like new parents? I always do!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Lol it's a great feeling.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Very cute! And habit forming!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

I have one that has been pipping and zippering all day on the bottom side of the egg. I finally noticed this when I got home from work and decided to flip the egg over. The chick is out but not looking as good as the other ones did. It is moving around and chirping lots but neck seems to always be tilted one way and one eye isn't open . we are gonna wait till she dries and put it with the rest and hope for the best


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Sometimes when they've had a tough time getting hatched they will lag a bit in energy compared to the others. The eye might be stuck shut, warm water on a cotton ball held on the closed eye should soften it enough to open.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Thanks for the tip. Looking better as the minutes pass


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I'd like to see how you look right after you have to peck your way out of a really scrunchy position!


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

Lol! The baby looks really good this morning! Couldn't hardly tell him apart from the others. Looks like he was just really stressed after the long hatch!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And that's why you keep the senior citizens of the poultry world around. Chances are they've seen it and can allay concerns. 

Glad to know peep went along with what I told you.


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## tonykummrow (Mar 26, 2016)

these are the cuties we ended up with. 8 total out of 12 eggs. Other four seemed to have not developed any after my last candling. Overall did ok. Love the colors of the 2 dark ones. They all are so adorable! Thanks everyone for the help! Gonna try a large batch here probably in a few weeks. I work at an elevator and its fertilizer season here in Minnesota so won't have much time for another batch for probably 3 weeks. But gonna upgrade the Bater a little and fix some problems I had with it.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Well you got a nice bunch of chicks there!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Your first experience is the perfect example of why an accurate thermo is so important. 

And yay for you and the new peeps. Now the real fun begins.


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## CanadianBuckeye (Apr 12, 2016)

Congratulations you've done very well. You will have some very nice chickens, great layers, from that orpington/leghorn cross, too. Well done!


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