Eglu Go With 2m Run For Sale

[penelope]

Hi There

 

We are just about to start off our "new Babies" & would like a bit more advice please.

 

A friend has 40 or so chickens & bantoms at her farm & has lent us her incubator that she has often used to raise new chicks rather than a hen brooding them. We will be keeping 3 or 4 hens and we are going to raise them our selves. We can return any cockerils & are fully aware of all the pitfalls!

 

We have been given a Brinsea octagon 20 with an automatic turning cradle. It has been used recently but the humidifier is not working so they just use water in the slots in the bottom without knowing the exact humidity level. Should we buy a humidity meter/pump thingy to adjust & check it or just hope!!

It has worked fine like this in the past without the humidity meter.

 

Problem number 2 is we accidently banged 3 eggs together on the way home!

2 have a crazed look to the shell, 1 has a hole the size of a pea but the membraine is intact........nail varnish as others have tried or should we discard them?

 

Lastly ( so sorry to make this so long)!!! can we mix bantams & Coochin & brahma will they all take the same time to hatch?

 

I can ask my friend but wont see her for a few days.

 

We are soooo egcited abot finally getting started after a long wait,

 

I am sure we will be posting again every 5 mins!!

 

Luv Penelope

I wish!!!

[bronze]

Ok the incubator should be fine

just make sure the humidity is up at the end when you stop rotating. Some people dry hatch for the first days

 

I would discard the broken one but try the other two, they can always be discarded later

 

Fine to mix them, they'll all hatch around the same time. Some types take a little longer but all within the normal parameters

 

enjoy

[Madchook]

Maybe try micropore tape over the hole? Worth a go

[penelope]

Hi there

 

Thanks for the replies, we have taped over the hole & nail varnished & will wait & see.

 

I am still a bit worried about not knowing exactly the humidity but I guess if it has worked many times before for the incubators owner it must be ok. Just an over worried mum to be!!

[The Dogmother]

I take it that you have a brooder, feed etc ready for the new babies?

[Redwing]

I have an Octagon and it needs tweaking to get the right humidity even after using it several times I dont think I could rely on it to be consistent, though once at humidity it holds it very well

 

I'd buy a very cheap digital hydrometer off the net, it will be worth every penny - they are usually under £10, the flat disc ones are ok too - avoid the green and white stand up 'swingometer' ones - they are wildly inaccurate most of the time

 

I'd discard the egg with the proper hole in, membrane or not its likely to contaminate the others, the two with hairline cracks in are worth a try though

[bronze]

One of mine is an octogan and I have done a dry hatch in it. Just added water on day 17/18. You can tell humidity by the weight of an egg (compared daily) but its a lot of faff. If you're really worried by a hydrometer but I've done quite a few hatches with in precise humidity

[penelope]

Hi There

 

Thanks again for the helpful suggestions.

 

We had already discarded the one with the hole in the shell as a precaution of not contaminating the others.

 

Claret....... yes we do have everything prepared for the babies. I often hand rear hoglets, birds, etc as I am a veterinary nurse so we have the brooder,heat,food, bedding, non slip flooring & everything ready to go.

 

Going to look on ebay for a hydrometer, should I still keep a little water in the slots at the bottom of the incubator until it comes?