Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: running dry  (Read 6145 times)

madchickenlady

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Old Newton Suffolk
running dry
« on: March 18, 2014, 03:32:33 pm »
Hi all, I made the mistake of buying a cheap incubator, but at the time it was that or nothing as my broody had changed her mind! The instructions were almost non existent with no info on humidity control, nor could I fathom out how to do it I did have one successful hatch from six duck eggs though. I am a little wary of using it again due to the problems but wondered if running it dry would work and what that entails> Any advice please? Much as I would like a brinsea or something I don't currently have the finances so am stuck with what I have!
Heather

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: running dry
« Reply #1 on: March 18, 2014, 07:06:05 pm »
I have an Rcom that has automatic humidity control  Once I realised that I needed to bin the humidity pump and run it dry my hatch rates shot up. Now I increase the humidity only at pipping time using a damp J cloth placed over the eggs. It works fine for me.

NicandChic

  • Joined Oct 2013
Re: running dry
« Reply #2 on: March 18, 2014, 07:25:15 pm »
I borrowed a friends cheep  :-J incubator with no instructions, setting the temp was the only control. It had two cup/troughs in the centre for water, I kept the smaller middle cup full (I used rain water collected in a 4pnt milk bottle) up until lock down then filled the 2 cup/troughs right up for hatching.

Initial 12 eggs (ebay) I dropped 1, 4 infertile/ didn't develop, 7 went onto fully develop, 6 hatched & 1 died in egg the wrong way round.

I now have 5 cockerels & 1 hen  :innocent: loved every minute of incubating  ;D

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: running dry
« Reply #3 on: March 18, 2014, 07:49:15 pm »
Do tell more Hughesy. We have an Rcom King Suro, which has never been right. Always great fertility, rubbish hatchability. However, when we just had a standard manual incubator, our results were always really good....
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: running dry
« Reply #4 on: March 18, 2014, 08:05:12 pm »
my first and favourite incy had just a temp control and fan - nothing digital/fancy.
temp was taken by a thermometer placed inside, and humidity measured by a little gauge which cost a pound, adjusting the humidity by how much water was placed in the little cup.
you don't need anything fancy you just need to know how to control temp and humidity. run it empty until you know how to control it. we just used a small cup of water then increased humidity by either adding anther cup/wet flannel before hatching.
the book - "small scale poultry farming" is ace as it has all the temps etc for different species.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Small-Scale-Poultry-Keeping-Free-range-Production-ebook/dp/B004URMX22/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395172899&sr=8-2&keywords=small+scale+poultry+farming

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Alarm-Clock-Calendar-Thermometer-Humidity/dp/B004GNBLDM/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1395173070&sr=8-2-fkmr0&keywords=poultry+humidity+meter

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: running dry
« Reply #5 on: March 18, 2014, 08:58:00 pm »
Do tell more Hughesy. We have an Rcom King Suro, which has never been right. Always great fertility, rubbish hatchability. However, when we just had a standard manual incubator, our results were always really good....
OK two modifications to your Suro are what I think are required. Bin the humidity pump unless you just use it to boost the humidity at the pipping stage. Secondly, find yourself a polystyrene or similar box that will fit over the whole thing and keep the incubator covered while running. I found that originally the eggs in the middle two rows were hatching ok but the outer rows were not doing so well. The Suro is very poorly insulated so needs a bit of help. It does say in the instructions somewhere that it's best to keep it in a room temp of 25C which is pretty unlikely to happen in our house!
I consistently get a hatch rate of 75 to 85% after doing the above.

HesterF

  • Joined Jul 2012
  • Kent
  • HesterF
Re: running dry
« Reply #6 on: March 18, 2014, 09:27:26 pm »
You can weigh the eggs every few days to see how much moisture they're losing and that tells you whether to increase or reduce humidity. Duck eggs like it dry anyway - they're bigger so it's harder for them to lose enough weight. I've got a fancy-pants Brinsea with humidity pump and have turned it right down (to the point where it's just at the external humidity) because the duck eggs weren't losing enough weight. I then transfer to a second incubator for hatching and that has no humidity control so I fill the channels with water. Mind you, the ducks haven't hatched yet so I shouldn't be counting them until they do!

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: running dry
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2014, 09:52:03 pm »
Stunning - thanks guys!

I have been doing some trials with various different thermometers in different positions, and had come to the conclusion that there was not an even temperature throughout the incubator. Perhaps more insulation really is all it needs. The heater would then not have to work so hard, but the fan would still be going the same, and that might even up the temperature.

Edit - Mrs Womble has just reminded me that the incubator worked perfectly when we lent it to a friend last summer, who lives in a nice warm modern house. Perhaps it just doesn't like old draughty stone buildings!!

As far as humidity goes, I know what used to work with the manual incubator (just a small pot of water in the bottom - nothing special), so I'll ditch the pump and go with that again.  Here's hoping - I have a big batch of indian rubber eggs on their way to me (yes, that was a typo, but I decided just to leave it in  ;D ), so  :fc: :fc: :fc: .

Cheers!
« Last Edit: March 18, 2014, 10:32:38 pm by Womble »
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

hughesy

  • Joined Feb 2010
  • Anglesey
Re: running dry
« Reply #8 on: March 19, 2014, 06:48:25 am »
Womble that is how I figured it out. Summer hatch rates were fine but not so in the cooler months. More insulation is definitely needed. I use an upturned polystyrene box that came from a place that sells live fish. It's what they get them delivered in.

chrismahon

  • Joined Dec 2011
  • Gascony, France
Re: running dry
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2014, 07:01:22 am »
We have exactly the same experience as Hughesy with a Suro20. It really needs to be run inside an insulated box to keep the ambient temperature above 20 degrees. The very small print in the instructions says it must be run above 20 degrees but I think 25 degrees is more like it. In the UK we ran our semi-automatic incubator dry until day 18, when we filled the water trays. In the UK the air humidity is high enough to run dry, unless you are in a modern centrally heated house when the humidity can be really low and you need to add water. The water tray is certainly needed over here though as the air is extremely dry most of the time. Both our semi auto's are from warm climates -Italy and Spain. So the instructions say to fill one water tray for incubation and two trays for hatching.

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: running dry
« Reply #10 on: March 19, 2014, 07:39:57 am »
I just checked - our bedroom, which is the warmest room in the house is currently at 16 degC. (Why anybody would want it any warmer is beyond me!  ;) .)
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: running dry
« Reply #11 on: March 19, 2014, 10:18:57 am »
they will be expensive hens if you have to heat the house for them. we have thin silver insulation for our loft and im sure you could tape that around the base. have a look in bnQ. or stick the incy in the boiler cupboard?

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: running dry
« Reply #12 on: March 19, 2014, 11:03:34 am »
 
What's a boiler cupboard shygirl?  ;D   I actually have a load of fleece fabric offcuts, so I think I'm going to make a wee incubator jacket, then just put it in the warmest place I can.
 
Come to think of it, the warmest place we have is probably under a fluffy chicken's bum. If only I could convince a fluffy chicken or two to cooperate, this would all be so much easier!  :)
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

madchickenlady

  • Joined Nov 2013
  • Old Newton Suffolk
Re: running dry
« Reply #13 on: March 19, 2014, 01:11:54 pm »
Thanks all, really helpful. I am going to try using a broody again but a proven one this time, but I feel more confident to try the incy if necessary! Thank goodness for forums!  :relief:
Heather

shygirl

  • Joined May 2013
Re: running dry
« Reply #14 on: March 19, 2014, 08:29:04 pm »

What's a boiler cupboard shygirl?  ;D 

sorry, I meant "airing" cupboard in the house (immersion tank?) what ever it is called, ours is always cosy

 

Forum sponsors

FibreHut Energy Helpline Thomson & Morgan Time for Paws Scottish Smallholder & Grower Festival Ark Farm Livestock Movement Service

© The Accidental Smallholder Ltd 2003-2024. All rights reserved.

Design by Furness Internet

Site developed by Champion IS