Paraffin Incubators

[clarissa]

Hi Please can anyone offer me any advice? I live totally off-grid and recently acquired 6 vintage incubators that run off paraffin. 5 are made of wood and the other an ironclad type. They hold 200 eggs each. I have had a couple of goes but sadly nothing hatched.

If anyone has had any experience of using these and can offer some advice, :blink: or knows where I can get some instructions I would be very grateful :blink:

[creakindoor]

Many many years ago (30+) when I first started gamekeeping

We used paraffin incubators, Hamers & Glevem.

These were all wooden incubators & we achieved very good results with them

Often hatching 70% of pheasant eggs set.

We also had an iron incubator which never achieved those results & this machine was

Only ever used as a back-up.

To get the best results from these machines they need to be housed in a stable environment.

A stone or brick building is good where there is not too much fluctuation in temperature.

Avoid draughts & use a spirit level to get all the machines level,

heat rises so if the machine is not absolutely level you will end up with a warm spot inside the incubator & the eggs in that part of the machine will develop quicker & you get a staggered hatch.

The incubator should have a thermometer which hangs just above the eggs & you will also need a Hygrometer to measure humidity.

The wick in the burner should be kept clean with an even flame.

On top of the chimney there should be a lid which is attached to & controlled by a mercury capsule this is your thermostat. As the temperature rises the capsule expands lifting the chimney lid

Allowing heat to escape. In use this lid will be opening & shutting by tiny amounts keeping the temperature an even 100 degrees (I cannot remember the exact figure).

The eggs needed to be turned twice a day morning & evening.

This turning routine stops three days before the chick’s hatch this then allows the developed chick To move into its hatching position.

When the eggs begin to “pip” fill the water tray beneath the eggs with boiling water shut the door & then keep it shut until the hatch is over.

The boiling water will boost the humidity sky high & as the chicks hatch that too helps to keep the humidity high which is vital in allowing the chicks to escape their shells.

Too dry & the membrane inside the shells dries out & the chicks are trapped.

It’s also a good idea to block the glass window up on the door of the incubator as the chicks will pull to the light & with a good hatch you end up with 100’s chicks pressing against the window.

As I said at the start it’s been many years since I used these incubators & I am sure there are things that I have forgotten but I hope the above helps.

[clarissa]

Brilliant, many thanks for the information. I think the mercury capsule may be missing off one which explains why the eggs got covered in sooty residue at the first attempt.