getting ready for eggs!!!!

[dmaricle]

ok well about 5 months ago i started on an incubator, i was making it out of a door fridge, well i realised that it would only hold like one small clutch box, so now i built one out of a big fridge. and i added the two strips of 3" by 3' flexwatt i had for the small one its not enough so now my question is can i run two mor peices at 6 foot lengths or do i need to do 4 at 3'. another words will it hurt to run a couple differnt flex watt lengths on one therm.

[dmaricle]

also what size tubs should i use and how often should i open the incubator and the tub to check it. and do you ever add water to the vermiculite perilite mix or does the humidity keep it rite durring the entire incubation.

[dmaricle]

im just currious what everyone does during the incubation time.

[RichsBallPythons]

i use sweater boxes with UTH taped to bottom. t-stat probe inside by eggs. and i set the tub on top of snake racks. room is heated too 83 degrees 24/7 365.

I dont set the tubs up into a egg holding compartment

[Bruce Whitehead]

My last incubator I had two strips, equal lengths, each wired separately and plugged into my t-stat and it maintained temps within .5 degrees over the 2 x 60 days without concern.

I would be concerned about the size of the fridge though, each time you open it you will get heat loss and a lot, will take awhile to get your heat back. But if your tub temps are on track it should not be huge.

I run my thermometer inside the tubs... and I used tubs that were a bit wider and shorter than a shoebox. That fit 6-9 eggs comfortably.

And yes, you have to top off your water throughout. Every time you open them you lose moisture.

I used hatchrite as well and was very pleased with it.

Hope that helps, I am sure others will chime in with good info.

Bruce

[dmaricle]

i was told to put a ton of water bottles in there to retain heat. the bottles warm up and help to get it back to temp faster.

when you said you topped off the water in the egg tubs how did you do that.

[dmaricle]

i have noticed that some people when setting up an egg box some put the eggs strait on the vermiculite, and some use the light defusers what do yall feel is best?

[XGetSome]

First off let me explain the benefits of a light diffuser. when using Vermiculite if your Eggs can either be too wet, or too dry, it needs perfect amount of water. You want as high of humidity as possible to get a good hatch rate, this is easily achived with a light diffuser, you see you can add tons of water to the substrate with a diffuser and keep near 100% humidity. If you tried this without the diffuser, and the eggs were touching the substrate, and it was too wet? well your eggs could mold, or go bad. Basically the light diffuser is for piece of mind, and its not as critical to get the water to substrate ratio so precise.

I dont use a light diffuser BTW, it works great either way....but without light diffuser, measuring your water needs to be more precise. I just add enough water to the vermiculite that when i ball it up in my hands it clumps, but no water drips out, and when I crumble it up, it falls apart.

Good Luck, BTW the more water weight you have in the incubator the sooner your temps recover after opening the fridge.

[ama1997]

I use an upright freezer. Its about 5 foot tall and about 2 foot wide. I have 1 piece of 11 in heat tape running down the back. That didn't seam like it was enough so I had some extra heat tape laying around. I added another two foot piece on the side. I use 6 qt or 12 qt tubs depends on size of clutch. I set up my incubator and egg boxes early like in January. I use the wireless thermometers from Walmart, the 9.00 ones. I also have two computer fans in the incubator. One on the top and in the back half of the freezer blowing down. One on the bottom in the front half of the freezer blowing up. With a fan you will want to make sure your egg boxes are sealed air tight. Most people I think use press and seal to seal their egg boxes. Or some kind of plastic. I like to air out the boxes once a week. Just open up check eggs and seal back up. I don't fan them or anything like that.

I mix my vermiculite like most people. Just enough water to clump, no water drips out, and falls apart when I break it up. The whole mixing vermiculite thing. Its not to hard, but easier if you can have someone show you. Check out Youtube some videos on there on how to mix up your vermiculite. Ive ordered a new video camera so when it gets here Ill try to get a how to video up. If your using the finer vermiculite Id add some pearlite to it. Maybe 1 cup pearlite to 2 cups vermiculite. That's about what I do. If your using the bigger stuff. Then you shouldn't have to. Also my egg boxes I fill them about half way up with the vermiculite. Anyways check youtube tons for videos on setting up eggs and all that.

[dmaricle]

thanks everyone. but when the eggs are in it do they maintain moisture in the egg tubs or are you adding water. if the eggs are on the vermiculite how would you add water and mix it without moving the eggs?