GETTING BATOR READY

[penny's dad]

WELL I'M GETTING A SHIPMENT OF BOBWHITE EGGS IN TOMORROW OR THURSDAY. I HAVE BEEN GETTING MY BATOR READY TEMP IS UP TO PAR. RUNNING 99.5 HAVING A LITTLE TROUBLE WITH HUMIDITY THOUGH. GOT IT UP TO 84.0 WET BULB TEMP. WANTING 89.0 TO 90.0. I ADDED 2 SPONGES TO THE WATER TROUGH. ALSO ADDED A PAN OF WATER TO THE BOTTOM OF THE BATOR TRYING TO REACH MY GOAL. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT I HAVE ORDERED ANY EGGS THROUGH THE MAIL. NOT SURE HOW LONG I SHOULD LET THEM SIT BEFORE I PUT THEM IN THE BATOR. ANY INPUT BY YA'LL ON THIS ISSUE WILL BE APPREACIATED. WILL TRY TO KEEP POST ON EGG PROGRESS.

[penny's dad]

[philz]

Wow, :shock: nice incubator!  I think that humidity should be at 84 to 86.  That's what my GQF incubator like anyways.  Could you explain a little about the incubator? Heat element used, fan, etc.  Do you turn them by hand? That would save big money considering a turning is over $100.  I'm thinking of constructing my own to save money and it would be fun!

[penny's dad]

WELL NOW I AM VERY PROUD OF THIS BATOR. IT IS THE 4TH ONE THAT I BUILT IMPROVING ON EACH ONE SELLING THE PRIOR TO FRIENDS. THIS ONE HAS AN AUTO EGG TURNER. I ROBBED IT OFF A MARSH TURNX BATOR. THE TURNER SITS ON TOP OUT OF SIGHT IN PIC. WITH A ROD RUNNING DOWN INSIDE TO TILT THE 2 EGG RACKS. I ALSO ROBBED THE HEATING ELEMENT OUT OF THE MARSH TURNX . IT IS INSIDE THE FALSE BACK WHERE THE AIR WILL BE DRAWN ACROSS THE ELEMENT. THE FAN IS A MUFFIN FAN YOU CAN BUY AT ELECTRONIC STORES THAT GO IN COMPUTERS OR VARIOUS ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT I THINK IT MOVES 600CFM.I HAVE ONLY HATCHED 1 BATCH OF EGGS IN IT WITH ABOUT 85% SUCCESS.THE ENTIRE BATOR IS INSULATED WITH 3/4" STYROFOAM NOT SURE IF THIS HELPS. WOULD PROBABLY HAVE TO SAVE ENOUGH ON AT LEAST 100 BATCHES TO BREAK EVEN ON THE 11.00 SPENT ON THE INSULATION. IF I BUILD ANOTHER I PROBABLY WILL LEAVE IT NATURAL.I ALSO LIKE THE LOOK OF FINE WOOD.       THANKS FOR LOOKING P.D.

[penny's dad]

WELL THE EGGS FINALLY ARRIVED YESTERDAY SO I LET THEM REST UNTIL THIS AFTERNOON. CAREFULLY UNBOXED THEM AND LOADED THE RACKS. AT THIS TIME THE INCUBATOR WILL HOLD 4 RACKS AT 95 EGGS PER RACK. I ONLY ORDERED 200 EGGS SO OVERCROWDING IS NOT A PROBLEM. PUT THE RACKS INSIDE AND TURNED ON THE AUTO TURNER. RIGHT NOW THE TEMP IS HOLDING A STEADY 100 DEGREES F. WITH A 84 DEGREE WET BULB TEMP. I WISH I COULD GET THAT HUMIDITY UP TO AROUND 86 DEGREES. I MAY ADD ANOTHER WATER PAN TOMORROW. HEY DO ANY OF YOU KNOW WHAT THOSE HUMIDITY PADS THAT GQF SELLS IS MADE OF ? I DID'NT REALLY WANT TO MAKE AN ORDER AT THIS TIME WOULD LIKE TO BUY LOCALLY IF I COULD. THANKS FOR READING.     :)   P.D.

[philz]

You should start your own company! Not sure what the GQF pads are made from. I would guess some type of paper?  I bought a foam automotive pad but it didn't work at all. I went ahead and ordered a whole box of GQF pads.  For some reason I think they shortened the pads down a little.  Maybe it's just me but they don't seem to last as long. Let me now if you find a better alternative.

[bobwhite]

I think your posts on the board are always interesting. I am intrigued that you are trying to get humidity up to 90. Is that to check out the machine for the final hatching stage later on when higher humidity is needed, or have you previously had good success with 90 wet bulb humidity all the way through the incu. period? What is the climate of your area and conditions around your incubator?

[penny's dad]

NO THIS IS NOT FOR THE ACTUAL INCUBATOR. I ALSO HAVE A HATCHER THAT IS ENTIRELY NEW TO ME, I JUST GOT IT BACK IN FEB. AND AM TRYING TO GET IT SET FOR THE FINAL4 DAYS. AND I WOULD LIKE ANOTHER 6 DEGREES ON THE WETBULB SCALE. NEED90 TO 92 DEGREES. I WANT TO RAISE THE HUMIDITY ABOUT 3 OR4 DEGREES WETBULB IN THE INCUBATOR, THIS SHOULD GIVE ME ABOUT 87 DEGREES WETBULB. HEY PHILZ I THINK I HAVE INVENTED A NEW MOISTURE PAD IT SEEMS TO BE WORKING FOR ME YOU CAN TRY IT FOR YOURSELF. I TOOK ONE OF THE SPONGES THAT I GOT FROM AN AUTOMOTIVE STORE STUFFED IT INTO A COTTON SOCK " YOU NEED ONE THAT HAS BEEN RECENTLY LAUNDERED" :lol:  FOLD THE SOCK TOP AROUND AND THEN OVER THE SPONGE PUT IT IN THE HUMIDITY TANK AND IT WILL WICK WATER.I'M ALWAYS LOOKING FOR IDEAS AND SOMETIMES HAVE ONE OF MY OWN.   P.D.

[penny's dad]

IT'S DAY 4 INTO THE HATCH WE ARE HAVING A COOLSPELL RIGHT NOW 40 DEGREES AND I HAD TO TURN ON THE HEAT IN THE HATCHING/ BROODER HOUSE LAST NITE I DID'NT WANT THE BATOR TO HAVE TO WORK SO HARD.I GUESS THE SPONGE IN A SOCK IS WORKING PRETTY GOOD I'M HOLDING AN 84 DEGREE WETBULB TEMP AT THE TIME. EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE GOING REALLY WELL.  THANKS FOR READING    P.D.

[penny's dad]

I'S DAY 9 INTO THE HATCH, WOKE UP THIS MORNING WITH NO ELECTRICITY. ABOUT 5:00 AM THERE WAS A STORM AND IT BLEW DOWN SOME TREES ONTO THE POWER LINES. I KEPT A CHECK ON THE BATOR WHICH IS OUTSIDE IN THE QUAIL HOUSE. THE BATOR HELD HER TEMP AS LONG AS SHE COULD. IT TOOK ALMOST 3 HOURS FOR THE TEMP TO DROP 12 DEGREES. I GUESS THE INSULATION PAID OFF ANYWAY. I CRANKED UP MY MILLER BOBCAT PLUGGED IN AN EXTENSION CORD AND GOT THE TEMP BACK UP TO SPECS. POWER FINALLY CAME BACK ON AFTER 4.5 HOURS. EVERYTHING SHOULD BE OK.  THANKS FOR READING  P.D.

[stewaw]

PD,
  I have to agree with the other posters, that's not an incubator-it's a piece of fine furniture and a work of art. To get the humidity to creep just a little higher, a trick I stumbled across is this.  Take a fish aquarium air pump and stick the hose in your water pan. You'll have to attach some type of weight to hold the tubing down but the bubbling water creates a pretty decent increase in surface area (almost doubles the size of the pan) because of the bubbles.

David

[penny's dad]

thanks David i had not thought of that but will remember it for future reference. 2 heads are better than 1   p.d.