Mini Dome Incubator / Chick-Bator HAS ANYONE USED THIS?

[ChrisCarreiro]

I just purchased and step the ChickBator, and was woundering if anyone had any successful hatches with it... I am looking for any information, however i have a couple questions in addition to any other information you could provide.

1.How often should i fill the bottom with water?
2. Is it ok to turn to the eggs more than once a day?
3. To spite small decreases and increases in temperature will the good fertile egg still hatch?
4. Does 103 degrees really kill the embryo?

Thanks alot!

[aKirA]

It is possible to have hatches with a ChickBator although hatch rate will not be as high. I've only used mines once on 8(if i recall) button quail eggs and none hatched. But then I had alot more eggs in my Homemade incubator and only 4 hatched so there is a question of "if the eggs were good in the first place."

1. You should always keep the bottum filled
2. Yes, turn the eggs atleast 3 times a day. I do mines at 12pm, 6pm, and 12am
3. Yes eggs will still hatch with little temp variations. It's best to try and keep it stable but I've seen ranges from 96 F to 106 F and still had hatches. Temp will be especially hard to keep stable with a ChickBator.
4. I know 103 is on the hot side but not sure if it'll kill an embryo completely. As I mentioned above, I've had temp ranges from 96 F to 106 F and still had hatches. You just have to keep a constant watch and adjust temp as needed.

In conclusion, you will get hatches as long as you monitor the temp and try to keep it at around 101 F. I would not recommend the ChickBator but instead I would just go and pay for a regular Hova-Bator or Lil Giant. ChickBators=$20~ or so and with another $20, you could get a Hova-Bator or Lil Giant still air. Since you already have the ChickBator, just give it your best and you'll do fine. Good luck.