Firing up the incubator - question

[rabernet]

OK - so no eggs, no pre-lay sheds yet, and I don't believe I've missed ovulations - but anything's possible. I do have glowing on two of my girls.

So:

Incubator - check
Incubating tubs - check
Hatchrite - check
Helix - check
Water bottles - need to get

When do you guys first fire up your incubators, and do you fire them up with tubs filled with the incubation substrate or without? I don't want to fill mine too early and risk drying out the Hatchrite if it's not necessary.

What do YOU do to make sure everything's functioning properly?

[Freakie_frog]

I fired mine up for a couple of weeks with a mock box setup or two on different shelves to make sure I was hitting the right temps on all shelves and no hot spots not getting a draft causing condensation and what not. I figured its easier to tweak it with out it full of eggs and risk messing something up.

[rabernet]

So - with incubation substrate? Hatchrite isn't inexpensive, so I don't want to open the bag if I don't need too, any earlier than I need to and lose the moisture.

[Freakie_frog]

Very true run to the garden center and get you a small bag of vermiculite and mix that it wont matter if you get it right mixing it in fact you could just do water in the bottom 1/4 of the tub and see if your getting any condensation

[monk90222]

I left my hatchrite in the bag then put the whole bag into the egg boxes. I wanted everything to be warmed up, but I don't want it to dry out either....

[Brock Wagner]

Robin you should fire it up and then let it get to temperature. Then about 4 days before the eggs are due would I but the medium in. Sounds like you are using hatch rite so I would wait so it doesn't dry out. Just my advice.

Brock

[rabernet]

Thanks everyone! So Brock, should I just go ahead and run it and leave it running, even if eggs are possibly six to eight weeks out? I don't see how it would hurt anything to do so, but thought I'd ask.

[Subzero]

What not just use water, or water and verm or perelite, why spend money on something commercial like that when it does the same thing. If the hatch rite dries out before eggs come add some water?

[Bruce Whitehead]

Hey Rab,

I had a very similar question. I was concerned about having my Hatchrite the right temperature.

It was suggested to just keep the bag sealed, and keep it in the incubator. That way it will be the right temp, ready to use, and will not lose any moisture.

bruce

I think that was the question?

[West Coast Jungle]

I have never used hatchrite so I'm guessing it comes mixed with water?

Any way I fire up my incubator for weeks to make sure there are no surprises. During the warm up period I add my water tubs with rocks and mix my vermiculite and put it in in a covered tub and check for condensation problems. If the tubs are sealed shut the mix shouldn't dry out but if you feel it may be too wet you can open lid and let it dry a bit. Then when eggs come you are all dialed in and good to go.