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For 3 large chicken eggs or 7 Parrot or Quail eggs.
The first public viewing of what looks like the ultimate in educational and hobby chicken incubators was provided at the Small Block Expo at Waikato Events Centre, in Hamilton. Compact enough to carry in a schoolbag streamlined as a racing car, and controlled by a computer chip that even works out for different bird species when to stop turning the eggs and when to raise the humidity to soften the shells for actual hatching.
For decades past many NZ schools have been using Hamilton made Minilab incubators, designed originally by Don Bethune, in their classrooms, for chicken hatching projects. So successful was it that exports of these mainly to Australia became a substantial part of the manufacturer's turnover.
The Minilab takes up to 18 hen eggs, and has to have the eggs rolled over by hand at least twice daily for the first 18 days. This was a great pupil privilege on school days. Being a still air incubator meant regular monitoring of temperature with the old-fashioned capillary thermometer, and remedial action to protect the eggs against chilling on cold nights and excessively hot days were needed, for the best results. The Wellington Education Board had about 20 Minilabs with special carrying cases that were lent around schools that did not have their own incubators. The board even printed special Project Manuals titled “Incubating Eggs in the Classroom”.
Although Dominion Incubators in recent years is producing Minilabs with Automatic Egg Turners as optional extras, the cost of this increases the price of the incubator by 30%.
The firm that gave us kiwis classroom and hobby incubators years ago is now bringing to us from Asia the pint-sized electronic marvel that won a special award in the 2005 International Farm Machinery Exhibition in Switzerland. They recognised its Innovative Adaptation of Electronic Technology to Agricultural Equipment. They also recognised that in addition to its obvious use in classrooms around the world, it was likely to become part of the well equipped rural and hobbyists' workshop, overlapping into small zoos, and conservation projects for endangered species, not only of birds, but also reptiles and tropical amphibians.
Reports from several countries with high density populations are showing an interest in the choice of a pet chicken in a suitable indoor cage-run as more socially “acceptable” and cheaper to keep than dogs, snakes and amphibians; this to meet the needs of parents whose children indicate potential social benefit from having their own “special” pet. These considerations have long been recognised among the many benefits of country living.
In addition, to the ultra frugally minded family, the idea of a "safe" pet, after four months being able to eat table scraps and convert them into eggs, is naturally appealing. Then, when Junior finally loses interest in Hen Len, giving her to a friend's family for home made KFC, is a further bonus.
REVOLUTIONARY CHICKEN HATCHER
Produced in Asia, and distributed across N.Z. as the "RCOM" Incubator, this electronic little marvel relieves the operator of the need to do most of the previously necessary little jobs. When run according to the extensive instructions provided, your RCOM will:
- Automatically "turn" / rollover all its eggs every 3 hours, saving you having to do it by hand.
- Give you a "Beeper" message when its reservoir needs topping up with water to maintain the ideal humidity level.
- Show you the changing "count down" of remaining days until actual Hatching Day.
- Save you peering at a capillary Thermometer, by displaying big, clear digital temperature figures on its screen.
- Maintain automatically for you its preset temperature, but still allow you to change it for hatching a different species.
- Maintain target temperature to a fraction of a degree, thanks to electronics superseding Ether Wafer Thermostats.
- Avoid the need for protective action when weather conditions change, because of its built-in, forced air, conditioning system.
- Match automatically the desired R.H. (Relative Humidity) needs of your eggs with their species and phase of incubation.
- Enable you to incubate eggs of any size from large Chicken down to small Quail or Parrot; even Lizard and Snake eggs.
- Be as safe for Junior to operate as the traditional Minilab, because both are 12-volt machines, powered by a Transformer.
- Only use an average of 25 watts of power (45watts maximum) in room temperature, so 1 kwh (Unit) lasts 40 hours.
- Will surprise most people with its low cost, because despite its technological brilliance, it's cheaper to buy than its predecessor cousin, the Dominion Incubators MINILAB.
- Encourage Junior to comprehend printed Instructions so s/he can properly manage a complex machine; while realising that the life cycle of birds and animals is a fascinating but natural process rather than a collection of miracles.
(Click here for more info on the Dominc Rcom)
(Click here for more info on the Dominc Minilab) |
