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Incubator checklist

Checking the incubator is set up correctly

Incubators all largely do the same thing, hatch eggs by providing an environment close to that which a nesting hen will provide. Checking your incubator regularly and dealing with any issues promptly will help maximise your hatching success.

These instructions are specific to the 12 egg incubator that is hired out by The Farmers Lot. These instructions can be easily adusted to other incubators, ensuring that your incubator is operating at it's best.

1. The lid is properly closed

Here are a couple of pictures of that show the lid and base of the incubator viewed from the side, 

  • the first picture shows the lid closed properly, 
  • the second picture shows a small gap. The gap is caused by the turning mechanism in the lid of the incubator not nesting in nicely with the spinning egg holder.
To put the lid on correctly you can rotate the egg holder by turning the spindle 1cm clockwise, then try the lid again, repeat rotating the egg holder 1cm and testing until you get a good seal. The difference between the gap and fitting nicely can be easily felt with the tip of your finger.
Close-up image of where incubator lid meets the base of the incubator perfectly.Close-up image of where incubator lid should meet the base of the incubator but with a undesirable gap


2. Test if eggs are turning

The egg tray spins in a clockwise direction, turning the eggs as it roatates. The egg turnner will spin when first turned on and then every two hours.

You can test if the tray is turning by pushing the up and down button together for five seconds. 

  • You should hear a low rumble and,
  • you can pick a spot on the egg and you should be able to see the eggs are rotating slowly.

3. Check if the incubator is using water

Mark the level of the water on the water bottle with a texta, you can write the date if you like, check back a couple of hours later. 

On a rainy or humid day less water will be used than on a hot dry day.

The amount of water used is small. Water consumption will be more noticeable in a smaller bottle e.g. a 500ml bottle instead of a 2 litre bottle.

Close-up image of a water bottle for a incubator showing marks on the bottle measuring how much water has been consumed.

4. Incubator temperature

The current temperature inside the incubator is shown on the guage by default. 

You can see the 'set' temperature that the incubator has been set at by pressing the button with a picture of a cog on it. Often the current temperature and the set temperature are the same. 

The incubator should reach set temperature within 2 hours after turning it on. If the temperature shown in the incubator is colder than the set temperature by more than one degree, then 

  • ensure that the foam cover is on and 
  • that the incubator is not in a draft or under a airconditioner vent and 
  • that the is room that is at least 19c.
When you hire an incubator from The Farmers Lot please don't adjust the temperature setting. Sometimes we find the temperature gauge on the incubator isn't accurate but we calirbrated it for best effect.

5. Check for water spillage

Water can spill easily if the incubator is picked up or the water supply bottle is knocked. 

  1. If water does spill make sure your hands are dry and, 
  2. turn the incubator off. 
  3. Mop up the spill, being areful not to knock the bottle. 
  4. Once the water has been cleaned up and your hands are dry turn the incubator back on. 
  5. Try not to keep the time the incubator is off to less than 5 minutes.
Water can also bubble out of the water bottle filler. To stop this, ensure there is a small blob of Blu-Tack where the water trickles into the filler tray. Be careful not to block the entrance entirely (see 6.A).

6. Water bottle pad

The water supply bottle needs to be at the right hight, when the incubator is sitting in the foam base (this is how it is usually set up) then the water bottle needs to be sitting on the supplied foam pad.

Image showing incubator water bottle stting on a foam pad


7. Water Supply

To ensure that water is getting into the incubator we need to do a few things.

  • Make sure the bottle holder is sititng on a foam pad (see check 6)
  • Make sure the clear hose between the water bottle and incubator doesn't have any kinks in it
  • Make sure there is a gap (arrow A) for water to get past the blu-tac (the blu-tac stops water bubling out), there should be water visible at arrow B.

Image shows incubator water holder with arrows showing a gap so water can get into the water well with water visable at arrow B