BROWER TOP Hatch incubator revelations

Poultryprincess · Post by **Poultryprincess** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:01 pm

SOOOOO anyone following my incubator drama might be interested in what I have found -

My "replacement console" heat would NOT stabilize, no matter What I did.
My "original console" HAS kept 99.5 Perfectly for Days....so I throwing caution to the wind & Loading it tomorrow.
I already had to throw out over a dozen eggs because they were over the ten days.
( never anticipated it would take so long to regulate the heat )

Last nite I read for a few hours on Possible solutions to the heat loss on the Brower.
Already have the unit encased in a cardboard box.

The most Promising solution ~ a "Reptile" thermometer!!!!
The "ReptiTemp 500R" has a 6 foot probe.
The chicken person plugged the Brower into the ReptiTemp recepticle &
then stuck the probe into the air vent of the Brower laying it on the eggs.
The probe kept the temp within the 99.5 & 100, never wavered beyond that.
She already has an ECO but liked the large Brower plexi top where you can watch everything.

OF COURSE this reptile unit is sold "in Calgary"....where I was only a week ago

I am EXCITED @ the possibilites!!!!!!

coonhound · Post by **coonhound** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 8:14 pm

Y u throwing out 10 day old eggs?

Jaye · Post by **Jaye** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 9:41 pm

I wondered the same thing. I've heard of eggs that hatched successfully that were much older.
If it were me, I'd eat them if they weren't going in the incubator; wouldn't throw them out.

Post by **Home Grown Poultry** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:18 pm

i have a bunch of eggs incubating that we're way over ten days old. but I keep them inside a ziplock bag after about a week. this stops the eggs from evaporating and preventing the air sac from growing. iv only had to remove 6 eggs out of 69. and they were mostly the oldest. all the rest are getting close to hatch time!

that reptile thermostate will definitely fix the problem! good luck!!!

baronrenfrew · Post by **baronrenfrew** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:22 pm

Ditto, i wouldn't hatch an egg older than two weeks (unless they were a special breed or something), but eggs can be three weeks at room temp and still perfectly edible.

Colleen Kinzie · Post by **Colleen Kinzie** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:36 pm

Just saw this in my issue of Backyard Poultry April/May 2016 issue

coonhound · Post by **coonhound** » Thu Mar 31, 2016 10:45 pm

i have hatched eggs over 3 weeks old with very good hatched

Poultryprincess · Post by **Poultryprincess** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:19 am

EEEEEK ~ The eggs marked Prior to March 22 were fed to the dog!
I read anything older than 10 days the fertility drops Big time.
Hmmmm now I will have to rethink this if you had success with older eggs.

Where your eggs wrapped in Saran? Baggies?
I kept mine in an egg carton, changed tilt every day & in a cool room.
The bator is FILLED to the MAX anyway ( 48 bantam eggs )
And "BBQ" ( the dog) enjoyed the eggs.
( I have eggs coming out the wazoo - LOL )
-----------------------------------------

YES Colleen K ~ Brower sent me the new Lower unit last year.
Not able to regulate heat in the New unit, I'm getting a new electric panel.
I switched to the OLD lower unit & it is holding the heat perfectly.
The recall was for a "few" bators that caught fire...because folks had put a blanket over the unit.

**** BROWER has been Most helpful! ****
The shipping company Charged me $50 to deliver over the border
Brower refunded my $ & said the recall is FREE.
Now they are sending a new electric panel to fix the heat problem.
I have only Good things to say about dealing with them.
-------------------------------------------

I am still looking for a second incubator.
The Brower has the eggs "laying on their side" instead of more vertical.
Thinking a smaller unit with egg turner would be good for small batches.
I can use the Brower for the Lock Down period & have a great view.

SO FREAKIN' EXCITED ~ ~ ~ BUT I am still going to Mount Forest!!! ( my FIRST!!!)

HappyHomesteader · Post by **HappyHomesteader** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 8:38 am

Al and I keep our eggs on a shelf in the pantry. After a week they go into a large ziploc bag. I rotate the eggs every morning when I start the laundry. It's worked pretty well for us.

Post by **WLLady** » Fri Apr 01, 2016 9:20 am

i just keep mine on a spare turner or two on the counter in my kitchen or cold storage or office or wherever i seem to have the space at the time. My house is normally pretty cool (about 16-17C) except in the living room when the wood stove is on-not a good place to store hatching eggs LOL.
the turner is plugged in so they are automatically turned, and i have successfully hatched 4 week old chicken eggs and 7 week old guinea eggs....but i think guinea eggs are made of out cast iron and one can do just about anything to a guinea egg.
turkeys i have found are way more picky, but i still have hatched 2 week old eggs okay. i think storage conditions are more important than time, and if they are stored longer, making sure they don't start to dehydrate is key.