# Lockdown



## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

This is my first time around hatching eggs. I have candled them last week with large dark inside, good size air bubble. They have sat unmoved for 3 days and today marks the day they should hatch. 
I took the eggs out of the carton and placed them on their sides on the bottom of the bator. Here's to hoping for a few new fuzzies.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This is the home made bator? I will be watching, hoping it turns out well.


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

Good luck. Post pictures. Don't be nervous when they come out all wet and tip over when they walk.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

It is a homemade incubator made from a foam cooler, computer fan and a light bulb. 
First time doing this since I was a wee kid, stuck at work.. Hopin to come home to some chicks.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't freak if nothing seems to be going on. If your thermo was off a degree or two it could slow things down. Also, if I remember right your humidity was running very low. You might have to assist.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

The humidity was low, but I brought it up to a much better. It's now staying over 50. The temps never really dropped much below 99.5, maybe by a degree or two.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What I mean was, if your thermo is not 100% accurate it could actually be off by a couple of degrees and you wouldn't know it. That was one of the things many learned when hatching artificially, if they didn't invest in quality measuring instruments things didn't always work out the way they should have.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

My thermometer is an accurite and has been pretty on point with the other uses I have used it for.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Has it ever been used for hatching? I had different ones for use around my house, I decided to gather all three up one day after reading many complaints about hatching problems using an Accurite. I had three sitting on my desk, not one read the same temp or humidity. The swing was a full five degrees from the lowest to the highest.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Hopefully I win an egg-I-meter from from incubator warehouse


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Nothing yet... I was hoping to see something after work , but alas... No dice


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Dang. Give it two more days, just in case the thermo was actually low. 

You can try one thing, pick an egg up and put it to your ear. You should hear scratching going on in there.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Yeah I will give it all of today.. Then open the eggs up to see what went on. 
As an experiment in saving some money building my own incubator, I am bit too upset if it did not work out. I spent 15 bucks total, so not too worried. 
It looks like I may end up getting a small incubator that does everything, including the turning, as that could have been an issue, as I may not have turned the eggs enough working full time.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

While turning eggs is important its not usually the reason for not hatching. Heaven knows I forgot to do it more than a few times and still had a good hatch. 

I would look at the humidity being so low in the first two weeks. It said 30% but was it really lower than that? If it was me my first step would be to invest in a high quality instrument to measure temp and humidity. You know, that unit you were using could have actually been reading a lower temp than was actually there. High temps are more deadly than low temps.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Thanks for the pointers robin, I am still hopefull. 1 egg did sound like there was some scratching. 
I have successfully hatched many reptiles, but they do not need movement and the humidity was easy to keep at the time due to where I was living. 
I now live in dry Colorado, and it's tough. I think making the investment into an automatic incubator may be better for me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Go for it, especially if you plan on doing this often. I started with the cheapo styros and was successful. But what I used to measure temp and humidity was very accurate to make the whole process work.

I now have a much more expensive one. With this equipment I would have to a total dip not to be successful with it.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

I think I will be getting a farm I ovations. It has everything I want and has decent reviews.


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## Shann0 (Sep 19, 2013)

Could you describe your setup? With the homemade incubator.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

http://www.chickenforum.com/f21/hunidity-7020/ There is a pic of his setup.


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## Shann0 (Sep 19, 2013)

Thank you!


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

Yup, it would be worth it to buy an incubator. Better luck next time!


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Well all the eggs failed. Oh well, learn and burn, time to move on. Anyone have suggestions for I incubators in the 150 or less zone that are good and have egg turners?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

First we need to know how many eggs you want to hatch at a time. 

You can be quite successful with one of the styros, I used mine for years before I upgraded. I haven't looked at prices of them lately but you could get the turner and fan for less than that.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

48 or so. Maybe turkey and ducks down the road.


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## nj2wv (Aug 27, 2013)

I bought a little giant from tractor supply. It was about $50 and the egg turner was under $50 as well. I had a good first hatch and so far so good on the second hatch. I just kept the water reservoirs filled and I do have to adjust the temp every so often. I don't have a fan. I don't have an hygrometer either. I have 29 eggs in there set to hatch on the 30th.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

For that many eggs and your price point the GQF or Little Giant is the most reasonable way to go. They need more watching and to be in a stable environment but they can and do get the job done. Replace the wafer at least once a year and you should have good results.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Farm Innovators Model 4200 Pro Series Circulated Air Incubator with Automatic Egg Turner
http://amzn.com/B007571DFM
Has anyone tried this particular bator. Seems to have good and bad reviews, as with most incubators


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Something is going on with that company, Google has suspended the website. 

I saw the reviews on it. They are about the same as for the GQF or Little Giant. The price is about the same.

Remember I said measuring instruments are important? Seems what comes with this unit is like any other, its junk and you will have to purchase something more reliable. Even my 300$ incubator had junk for measuring.


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## powderhogg01 (Jun 4, 2013)

Odd about the link. I think I will give the foam incubator one more try. I re-configured the arrangement and I have gotten another temp. 
I am curious what thermo/hygro meters are the best. 
So many choices, currently I have an old mercury type as well as 2 digitals. Waiting for things to stabilize to see what's up with my old thermo


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You have a mercury thermo? I'd kill for one of those when it comes to incubating as long as its calibrated in small enough increments for that. Although they might also need some checking to confirm accuracy they are more dependable than the spirit filled types.


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## SilkieBoy (May 4, 2013)

I would stick to a incubator with a fan and proper heat controls!


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