I am trying to get my homemade incubator ready for use. And I have two questions.
1) How citical is it to keep the temp in a forced air incubator at 99.5 degrees F? I can keep it pretty steady at either 100 or 99, but my "highly accurate" (actually part of the name) hygrometer/thermometer gives only full degrees and the cheap ($1.79) thermometer I bought shows it to be 102 at the same time. I can buy a another, better, thermometer but then which do I trust? Is it enough to keep it never lower than 99 and never higher than 101? I read that 103 is lethal and too high or too low temps can permanently damage the chicks. But hens must vary in body temp at times, right? Worry.
2) You are suppose to lay the eggs so that the larger end (with the air space) is slightly higher than the smaller end. This is suppose to be how they naturally lay on a flat surface. But several authorities sugges using cut down egg cartons to hold the eggs during incubation. First, I am worried about using old egg cartons (contamination) and do they mean cardboard or styrefoam cartons or does it matter? Second, in the cartons the eggs are very upright. Is this okay?
I am so excited about trying this, but I don't want to hurt any chicks. Help!
Incubation Questions
The only advice I can give is from my own experience. We had 6 of 6 eggs hatch (although one chick died before getting completely out of the shell). If you bator is a degree too high it could cause them to hatch slightly early, and possible cause some birth defects...but I dont think one degree would cause too much concern. I took JB's advice and used a hot water heater thermostat. IT caused my temp to flucuate between about 88 and 110 degrees (give or take). If you can keep yours at a consistant one degree off...you are probably fine. But what are you using?
Also...I, as well as many people, just put the eggs on their sides. I dont know how the hen would even be able to get one egg 'slightly' above the other side. I know some do put them in cartons..and I thought about it this time, but desided to again put them all on their sides. I think you will be fine in both cases. Let us know how it goes!
Thank you mcamden. It was your thread that got me thinking about making my own incubator. Mine is an small styrefoam steak box that someone gave me this Christmas--actually they gave me filet mignon, but I was more excited about the box :-). I have a 25 watt bulb, a small fan, bowl with water, ventilation holes, hygrometer/thermometer which I got over Amazon and is supposed to be for cigar humidors and glass window in the front made from a Dollar Store picture frame. The "guerilla incubator'" link someone sent you suggested adding a dimmer switch to help adjust the heat--which I got and it is very easy to adjust the temp by just brightening or dimming the bulb. But I am thinking that the water heater thermostate is going to be necessary. I'm just intimidated by the thought of installing it
So far I have been able to keep the temp reliably between 98-101 degrees, but my bedroom is not heated except when I'm home and I don't know how that will work. It only gets down in the 40's outdoors here so the room doesn't get much below the 60's. Probably should get a high/low thermometer to see how the incubator temp fluctuates when I'm not here. Also the humidity is a little hard to regulate--it goes from 50% to 70% when I want it at a stable 60-62%
It is encouraging to hear that your temps swung so widely with such excellent results. I keep worrying that I will fry the little beasts. And it looked like you installed a sort of manual turner that you could use without opening the box, but I can't quite figure out what you did from the picture
You are such an inspiration!
OH my...well I am glad that I got you hooked! I ended up ditching that turner as it was easier to just open it. The temps would drop, but would go right back up...so no big deal. I would suggest the WH Thermostat. I only paid $14 at Menards for mine, and JB posted a pic of my thread showing how to install...and it was REALLY easy. It is just a matter of putting the wires on four screws. Let me know if you need help finding his pic...but it is in there.
I wish someone had sent me a steak box!
Good luck with your bator! You must be excited. I hope you
don't mind if I contrubute some of what I've learned.
As far as the temp goes, from what I've read, if your room temp
is at 60* or higher, it does not usually affect the bator
temp. Anything lower, might. Sitting the eggs in a carton
is good from the standpoint that you can turn them all at
the same time. You just rock it back and forth, propping
it with something underneath. One turn you rock it to the
right, then left next time. It would need to be resting at
about a 45* angle in each direction. As Mel assured me,
the eggs have mass, and will hold their temp long enough
for you to turn them, even if you turned each one individ-
ually. If your bator's temp is a degree high, you might
expect them to hatch a day early, and a degree low, a day
late. From what I understand, a degree or so in either direction
is ok. If you have any animals in the house, like I do, you
might want to put a piece of tape on your dimmer switch,
as it can get bumped and fry your babies. I'm not sure why
you get the fluctuation in RH, it will change when you open it
to turn, but should go back to it's previous reading given time.
Also, a bator running at 100* will read a few % points lower
RH than a bator running at 99*. So for example, a temp range
in your bator from 98-101* will change the RH as much as
6 % points.
may all princess tammy's eggs hatchshe's another
who needs help.
Thank you, truest. I am very excited about trying this and just want to get all the bugs out before the eggs actually arrive--and yes I do have animals and some of the are egg fiends so I am keeping the incubator totally out of reach. I went today and bought a hot water heater thermostat like mcamden recommended, but I am still uncertain how to hook it up. I also bought a high/low digital thermometer to supplement my thermometer/hygramometer. I looked at the Hoverbater still-air incubator at the feedstore, but I think I want to try this first--if it works I will feel wonderfully successful, which I need after having to give up my roosters.
I left the incubator on last night in an unheated 60 degree room and the temp dropped to 97 from 100--I can raise the temp by brightening the bulb, but I really need to know that the temp will remain constant and not overheat while I am at work--hence the thermostat.
I am also a little confused about turning the eggs--can you just shift them 45* each way? I don't actually have to turn them over 180*? So if they are in the egg carton I can just prop it up one way and then the other? And they can be nearly upright?
The problem with the humidity may be because the incubator is small and I just have an open custard cup of water in there. I opened a couple of the ventilation holes a little wider. It may just take some tinkering around.
I hope all goes well for you!
Yes, you can just tilt them back and forth, as long as
they get a good 'lean' on them. Maybe Mel can help
you with hooking up the thermostat.
As far as humidity goes, you can increase the size
of the container of water, meaning not necessarily
more water, but a larger surface area that is open.
For example, a plate with a large surface area would
give you higher RH than a cup with the same amount of
water. A plate with a sponge sitting in it would really
raise the RH because there are more evaporative
surfaces on a sponge. You would also have to rewet
a sponge more often than refill a cup or plate.
I think building your own incubator would be way more
fun than just buying one. It would feel really great to
know you could do it all by yourself, and for little money,
too!
please don't think I'm crazy, I'm playing a game in
another forum, and I have to put this at the end of
every post:may the princess have a green thumb
Also- a note on the thermometer/hygrometer
accuracy. I, too, got a digital therm/hygr, and it is
reading a degree or two lower than my cheapo bulb
thermometer. If the bulb thermometer is not attached
to the degree graph just right, which I doubt they do
every time, I think there is going to be some question
as to it's accuracy. I think that consistency is the
most important thing, and that you use one or the other
all the way through your first hatch. Then, as I mentioned
earlier, a day early to pip or a day late, will tell you if
it's off, and in which direction. You can adjust your next
setting accordingly.
may the princess enjoy many friends
Sure thing! I will get a picture of mine real quick, and then edit with what goes where. Just give me a few. I need to go turn eggs anyway.
Truest and Mcamden--Thank you so much. I have to run down south (Fresno) and plant an experimental tomato field this morning, so I won't be able to check my email, but I am so grateful to have your advice.
Have a great day and happy planting!
may the princess have juicy tomatoes
Well this is the best pic I could get. I just cut the end off an old extension cord to use as power. If you are planning on using a 220v connection this would be different...so let me know.
I also plugged in that little motor fan...which you dont need. Let me know if this makes sense.
Another thing...it doesnt really matter which wire on the light socket is hot or cold. Many of the basic ones are universal. Just try one way, and if it doesnt work then switch the wires either on the light or on the thermostat. I kept mine set very low at first...and now it is set right between 90 F and 125 F. As JB told me...put it in front of you and let it run. Record temps manually for on and off temps...or you can use your new high/low thermometer. Try to get the median temp to 99 or 100. It will flucuate up to 12 degrees in each direction! So dont worry...it will be ok. I would suggest a 40 watt bulb since we found it causes the light to stay on the least amount of time. This means that instead of heating up the eggs slowly (and potentially getting their internal temps too high) it will heat the air quickly, and then cool down quickly. I really think this is better for the eggs.