Incubator Question

Way, way jumping the gun... but while reading, shopping and daydreaming..

I saw a small giant still air incubator at a local farm store..
Then I saw an egg turner that fits into the small giant still air incubator, now on the icubator box it clarifies that particular model is STILL AIR and you can purchase a fan seperately.. or you can purchase a different model that has the fan..

Just out of curiosity.. do you need a fan? would this be the same type of used computer fan we fluffs were using in a different thread?

Should I ask, whats the fan for.. or should I just keep reading?

And Do you have to have all three? and is these items junk?
Seems to me price wise by the time you were done you would be over the $100. mark.. and if the are junk, why not just get the 3 egg incubator for $150?

First off, let me say that I don't have much experience to draw on, that being said I'll give you my thoughts. I have a little giant with turner, no fan. It works well, and I would say you do not need a fan. The advantage of a fan is that it circulates the air/humidity evenly, but once the air inside the still-air bator stratifies, I can't see the advantage in a fan.
The turner is in my eyes almost essential, not only for the well-being of the eggs, but also for the person hatching the eggs. It takes a lot of time to hand turn, not to mention the oil from your hands clogging the pores in the egg, preventing proper gas exchange, and bacteria from hands, oh and the biggest one, heat and humidity lost every time you open it to turn.
You wouldn't be happy with three eggs in a batch, as most likely one will die during the process anyhow, maybe two or all three! Having 42 spaces in the little giant w/turner is a blessing, allowing more room for error if you are a novice like me. The key to still air, is a thermometer placed at mid-egg level, and once you get the temp. close, leave it alone. If it gets up to 102 and drops back to 98, the average is still 100. Know what I mean?
Building an incubator? That is a whole different dilemna that I thought I had figured out, but having run the first batch through, I need modifications, and yes, a fan is essential to that plan. Hope that helps...Scott

Thanks Scott,
After writing earlier I went on a google hunt, I learned that a lot of people are complaining about the little giant turner.. that it seems to be a pain and doesn't work more often than not..
My brain put the fan ahead of the turner, but listening to your thoughts, seems the turner would be very important..

All very interesting

I've used a Hovabator with turbo fan for several years, and like it very much. It's pretty similar to the Little Giant model w/fan. Not having had one without a fan, I can't compare, but mine does seem to circulate the air well. Since the goal with an incubator is to try to mimic the conditions under a mother hen as much as possible, the fan makes sense--the hen has feathers that allow the air to gently circulate.

At least in my incubator, the fan is smaller and less powerful than a computer fan (I think). You don't want draft on the eggs, just gently moving air.

As far as a turner goes--I've had good success without one. The eggs have to be put up on end--different from the natural "hen" way, and while I don't know the pros/cons of this, I don't like the idea too well. :-) But if time is at a premium for you, or you're afraid you might forget to turn the eggs (I make check marks on the calender several times a day, which is how I remember--barely!), then do consider a turner.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry about the heat/humidity loss with opening the incubator, but I would just lift the incubator top up a few inches with one hand and turn the eggs with the other if you can, to minimize the air that escapes--if you've ever had a broody hen and observed her, you'd have probably noticed that she gets up a couple of times a day and leaves the eggs for a few minutes. I've even had hens leave for 15 minutes or more and, they still get great hatches!

Best wishes in your daydreaming and planning :-)
~JoAnna

Thank you JoAnna & Scott.. as you can read, I am really filling my waiting time with reading, reading.. wishing and reading some more..

We have completed the starter nursery, secondary nursery needs to come in the house for clean up and sterilazation.. supplies are purchased for the coop, waiting for a little more ground thaw, but the walls will be built in the workshop then taken outside..

I am SO ready... and the eggs haven't even been laid yet!!!

Just keep waiting.. just keep waiting...
Fran

Don't know about a fan, but I have a Hova-bator I just set up last night to check the temp. It was 110!!! Had to open one side about 1/2 inch to get it down to 100. Don't know any other way to do it. Took the plugs out of the top and it still didn't drop enough. Don't know what I did with the instructions, but misplaced them. There is a place on top that says "decrease" and "increase" with arrows, but don't know how to turn to the decrease as there has to be a tool to do so. So, may have to do what I am doing. The bator is in a shower with the doors closed because the cats would LOVE to get into it. That might be why the heat is so high. It is an small enclosed space.

Yikes!! I forgot to put the control handle in the bator. No wonder I couldn't regulate the temp. Duh!! Actually, I forgot to take it out of the box. I went in looking and found a plastic bag and viola! there it was.

was abou tot tell you that! much easier with the handle in place... i do still have to watch mine though, esp with the brooder beneath the bators, i have to watch the angle of the brooder lamps, and turn them off during the day.

my DH was browising the Meyer catalog looking at all the houses and hutches and runs. he spotted the sportsman bators, and got to thinking LOL

i think he is catching my hatching fever. it's about time!

Well, mine already has it. So, we're in business. Good for you.

TF, what is the optimum RH for the Hova-bator. I can get the temp to regulate around 100, but my humidity is only reaching 52. I have the egg turner in place, and have filled the trays with water, but still only getting RH of 52. Any ideas would be appreciated.

you know, i didn't even put the hygrometer in there, no room with the egg turner. i can barely keep my Brower around 55-60, we have a very dry climate here...

as far as i can see there are FOUR water trays. fill them all the way, and DON'T open it for 24 hours, see what it gets up to and ho low your water gets.

the instructions say to only fill one tray, the middle one. and should only need refilling twice a week.... but they don't live in the high desert either LOL

if all else fails, get a cheapo spray bottle from the store, keep it filled with luke warm or tepid water, and spray the eggs once or twice a day. i would think though, you will get it high enough with what else i said... lemm know...

Ok, will do. I don't know why it's so dry because we are not in a desert climate. In fact, we are going to have flooding this year with all the snow we have. It might be dry in the house, but the bator is in a shower (my DH will have to use mine for a while, hehe) with the doors closed (to keep the cats out). But, like you said, I will let is set for 24 hrs and see what's up.

Thanks so very much.

;-)

Well, TF, did what you said and RH is still setting on 50 only. I filled the trays all the way and the best I could get was 51. Will be doing what you said and spraying them wither lukewarm water twice a day when I put them in the bator.

And again, thanks for your help.

sure, meant to ask you if you have BOTH red plugs in the top. if not, put a piece of tape over those holes. i checked my humidity in there, with eggs that have been in a few days, and it is fine, and i haven't added any water since the first day. i bet once you put the eggs in, they will take up the extra space. that will reduce the mass, and about the time you get the temp adjuted again, the Rh will level out... glad i got back to the pc to check on you ;-)

Yep, I have BOTH red plugs in the top. I was thinking I might load it with eggs and see if that works. if not, like you said, spray them. I know I have enough eggs to try and see if it will work. I might use plastic eggs for some of the spots. But, whatever we will get it going right.

thanks again

guess what, turner works fine without filling it... toss the plastic idea LOL. my little child was nosing around in my stuff and found some plastic eggs i got for Easter. they are camoflauge!

i bet yours will be fine. i checked all of mine today, all above 60! before you load it, refill all those four tiny water troughs ALL the way...

;-)

There are only four water trays? It looked like about six to me. will have to go check again. :o))

take one out and trace it with your fingers. i thought there were five. but the instructions label them A, B, C and T or soemthing weird like that. you fill the last two for the last three days, extra humdity. but i figure you need to see where your Rh gets too with all of them first. you can always use a baby syringe and suction out the excess water from C & T. they want you to fill the inner two trays for the first 18 day, outer two later, if that helps...

remember the link to get the insturction? can't say it's worth printing out, but you could glance at it to help get the idea...

tfq

Don't remember seeing the link to the instructions. I guess I overlooked it. Please post it again?

Thanks

After looking at all these different incubators for the last two weeks.. I think I have come up with a basic starter one... but then today I came across this one...

And of all the things and sites I have read I have never run across this one... has anyone else??
Nasco's Incubator Kit
http://www.enasco.com/product/C17015N

Looks exactly like my Hova-bator with the exception of the fan. Having read these threads, I don't know if you need the fan, so does the addition of the fan justify the price?

For having all three... fan, egg turner and incubator itself price is pretty cheap... just at $100.

Comparatively the Hova-bator w. the same stuff would run me just over $120.

I assume they weigh about the same so shipping would run the same... anyone out the know anything of this brand?

Ok, on Aug 31, 2006, I bought a Hova-bator complete with egg turner from "Kemp's Koops" on eBay. I paid $77.95 plus Priority shipping at $14.45, for a total of $92.40. I don't know how much their prices have risen since then, but of course they might be quite a bit higher.

I just checked the eBay site where I bought my candler, and they have a Hova-bator still air incubator without the egg-turner for less than $50.00. Their eBay site is cutlersupply. Check them out.

the fan is nice, i have one in the bator i am using as a hatcher.

that is a very good price for all three!

GG-i didn't post the instructions, but if i see it i'll cut and paste it for you

Ok, thanks, TF. I think I am going to set the eggs on Wednesday, (if I feel up to it.. suffering with a severe cold right now).

Will let you know how it turns out.

Granny- g I hope you feel better soon!!

really.. you know the only thing worse than a summer cold.. in the 100 degree heat..
is a winter cold.. your freezing and its all gray... nothing pretty to cheer you... cept maybe a friend..

Hope your feeling better Granny, have a bowl of CNS....

Well, I checked the bator just now (unplugged it the other day), temp was 65 and RH was 83???? Filled the trays and DH brought in the eggs. All eggs are warm, so am waiting till I have enough to fill bator. Plugged it in again and now waiting...waiting...waiting.

Still have cold. (should have listened to friend when he told us he had one). Kicking my butt royally this time.

Going back to bed. Gonna try and get some sleep again.

GG, sorry you are sick.... yuck! why was th ebator unplugged? well, get some rest... and suck some of that water out of the outere two trays. make sure the trays are postioned where you can see the end of each one from one end of it at the rigth side after you have added the turner...

I unplugged it to save a few pennies until I am ready to use it. And guess what, when the temp went down to 65deg, the RH went up to 68. Plugged it up last night. Have 19 eggs waiting to go in. Want all to go in the same day, so hopefully we will get enough today and tomorrow to go.

I think it's Dr. time for me. Still not feeling right and think it's a bronchitis flare-up. Was doing fine yesterday but got worse last night. So, I think I had better see the Doc.

GET WELL!

Still holding off seeing the doctor. But I did call. Waiting on the nurse to call me back. So, we will see what we will see. But, I will be getting well someday.