Brinsea Mini II Advance Mini II Advance User manual

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Mini II Advance
Classroom Pack
Pack Contents
Mini II Advance Incubator
EcoGlow 20 chick brooder
OvaView egg candling lamp
OvaScope egg viewer
Feed trough
1 Quart Drinker
100ml Incubation Disinfectant Concentrate
8 Slotted plastic enclosure panels
Lesson Plan on CD-ROM
Please check the contents of the pack and contact your dealer or Brinsea Products if anything is damaged or
missing. To register each of your new Brinsea products please visit www.brinsea.com and follow the link under
Customer Service on the top navigation of the home page to qualify for your free 3 year guarantee.
Introduction
The Brinsea Mini II Advance Classroom Pack provides the equipment needed to artificially incubate and rear
‘precocial’ species (i.e. chicks able to walk, eat and drink immediately after hatching) such as domestic species
including bantams, peafowl and ducks and game birds such as quail and pheasant.
Detailed operating instructions for the incubator, brooder, candling lamp and OvaScope egg viewer are
included with each component of the pack. Please take time to read the instructions and familiarise yourself
with the products. Successful incubation requires control of a number of factors and it is important to follow
recommendations in the instructions to obtain the best hatch.
Getting Started
The incubator needs to be located in a heated (minimum 62°F / 17°C), draft free location out of direct sunlight.
Set the equipment up and allow it to operate for a couple of days before setting eggs to ensure it has stabilised
and to familiarise yourself with the controls.
Eggs may be stored (ideally at about 60°F / 15°C and turned daily) for up to 14 days if necessary though fresher
eggs are more likely to hatch.
Follow the detailed instructions supplied with the incubator for more information.

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Hatching
Be sure to have the brooder set up in time for the hatch. Read the instructions for the brooder carefully. Chicks
make a lot of mess so cover surfaces to protect them where necessary. Have some chick crumb or similar feed
for new chicks ready.
Assemble the enclosure by slotting the panels in one another. The sides conserve heat inside the brooder and
protect the chick from drafts. The brooder & enclosure should have textured, absorbent litter on the floor. If
the floor is slippery the chicks can damage their legs. Paper towel works best in the classroom and should be
replaced daily. Set the drinker and feeder in the enclosure. Keep topped up with fresh water and chick starter
crumbs which are obtainable at any feed or farm supply store.
Warning: Some very small chicks (e.g. quail) can drown in a drinker so place clean pebbles around the trough to
prevent this.
When eggs hatch leave them in the incubator for around 24 hours to dry. They still get the nutrients they need
from the absorbed yoke. Avoid opening the incubator too frequently as it is important to maintain high
humidity for other hatching eggs. Once dry, move the chicks to the brooder enclosure and immediately offer
food and water. If a chick fails to thrive move it back to the incubator for longer. Closely monitor new chicks for
the first few days when they are most vulnerable.
The chicks will consume a surprising amount of food and water (and kick plenty around them). Check on levels
frequently. Clean the floor of the enclosure daily.
As the chicks grow they will become more independent of the warmth of the brooder and will quickly require
larger housing arrangements. Be sure to have homes ready for the chicks.
Note: A specific plan for disposing of the chicks should be worked out before undertaking an incubation
project. Never give the chicks to the children for pets. You should try to find them homes within a few days of
hatching. The first suggestion is to give the chicks to someone who has proper brooding facilities, experience
and the interest to raise the chicks. The next suggestion is to get in touch with the Extension service of the
nearest University Animal or Poultry Science department. They usually have contacts with local farmers who
might be willing to supply eggs and/or take chicks back. Finally the local Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals might also be able to either locate someone who will take proper care of the chicks or dispose of them
humanely as a last resort.
Registered Design
Brinsea Products Inc., 704 N Dixie Ave., Titusville, FL 32796-2017 USA.
Phone. [phone] Toll Free 1-888-667-7009 Fax [phone]
e-mail [email protected], website www.Brinsea.com

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Technical Notes
Humidity in Incubation
No aspect of incubation causes more confusion and concern than humidity. When other factors appear correct
humidity is often blamed for poor hatches but whether too high or too low may still be in doubt. It doesn’t
have to be so; a few simple procedures can take the mystery out of humidity and put control back in the hands
of the operator.
Humidity is one of four primary variables which must be controlled during egg incubation - the others being
temperature, ventilation and movement (turning). Humidity is the most difficult of the four to monitor
accurately and to control and therefore is commonly misunderstood. The operator instructions that accompany
all incubators give guidelines to achieve correct humidity levels for most species under normal conditions and
in the majority of cases this gives excellent results so first check that you have followed these guide lines.
However there are times when incorrect humidity levels do cause problems and further steps are needed to
check that humidity levels are correct. This article explains the effect of different humidity levels, measurement
of humidity and the best techniques for achieving correct humidity levels.
Before spending time and effort checking incubation humidity levels it is essential to ensure that temperature
and egg turning are correct - refer to the unit’s operating instructions. Also check that the eggs are fertile and
the parent stock healthy, properly fed and free from in-breeding.
The effect of humidity upon the incubating egg
Egg shells are porous - they allow water to pass through, and so all eggs, whether being incubated or not, dry
out slowly. The amount of water that an egg loses during incubation is important and this is determined by the
humidity levels within an incubator; if the humidity level is higher then the egg will ‘dry out’ more slowly than if
the humidity is lower.
All eggs have an air space at the round end and as water is lost through the shell it is replaced by air drawn
through the shell into the air space which gradually increases in size. This air space plays a crucial part in
hatching. It is the first air that the fully developed chick breathes and the space allows the developed chick
some movement inside the shell to allow it to manoeuvre into hatching position.
If the incubation humidity has been too high the egg will have lost too little moisture and the chick will be
rather large. In this case the air space will be too small, the chick’s respiration will be affected and the young
bird will have difficulty breaking out of the shell because of the lack of space. Commonly with excess incubation
humidity chicks will die just before or after having broken through the shell in one place (‘pipped’) either
through weakness because of the lack of air to breathe in the shell or because of lack of space to turn and cut
around the shell with their bill. Often, because of pressure within the egg, the bill protrudes too far out of the
initial hole preventing the normal anti-clockwise progress of the bill chipping the shell from inside. The bill
becomes gummed up with drying mucus.
Low incubation humidity levels lead to small chicks with large air spaces by the time the hatch is due. These
chicks will tend to be weak and may also die just before, during or just after hatching. It should be noted in
general that a slightly lower humidity level than optimum is likely to be less disastrous than a slightly higher
than ideal level.
It is important also to understand that humidity does not directly affect embryo development unless the egg is
seriously dehydrated. Only temperature and egg turning affect growth of the embryo directly. Humidity is
important only to achieve the right balance between excessive dehydration and space within the egg as it
reaches full term. Thus a temporary error in humidity can be corrected later provided the error is observed
and the right action taken. Death of an embryo at early or mid term stages of incubation is not usually
attributable to incorrect humidity.

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Measurement of humidity.
Many materials are capable of absorbing water or water vapor and air is one of them. Water vapor is a gas like
any other gas, and air is a mixture of gases, one of which is usually water vapor. The difference is that the
amount of water vapor varies widely whereas the other gases which make up our atmosphere remain fairly
constant. The range of vapor may be from none to a certain maximum which the air can absorb. This maximum
increases with temperature and is known as saturation level.
There are two commonly used ways to define humidity and the differences need to be clearly understood.
These are:
Relative Humidity (RH) expressed as a percentage.
This is a measure of the amount of vapor in air compared with the maximum that could be absorbed at that
particular temperature. This is why relative humidity (RH) is quoted as a percentage. For example an incubation
RH level of 50% might be quoted. This means that at incubation temperature the air in the incubator contains
half of its maximum possible water vapor capacity. Because maximum possible water content increases at
higher temperature, if the temperature was increased but no additional water added then the % RH level
would drop. The air would become dryer.
A good way of imagining this effect is to think of a bath sponge. When the sponge is squeezed to half it’s
normal size clearly it can hold less water. Imagine a half squeezed sponge soaked in water until no more can be
absorbed (saturated) this is analogous to cold air at 100% RH - no more water can be absorbed. If the sponge is
allowed to expand completely then, although the amount of water has not changed, the sponge is relatively
dryer than before because it has greater capacity to absorb water. This is analogous to warmer air containing
the same amount of water vapor which will now have a much lower RH level. Conversely when air cools the
capacity of the air to hold water vapor reduces and % RH levels will rise. If the air temperature drops below the
saturation point (100%RH) the water vapor condenses. An example of this is dew forming on a cold night after
a warmer day.
Wet Bulb temperature
This is the temperature (in degrees C or F) of a thermometer with a moist cotton wick around its bulb.
Evaporation of water from the wick cools the bulb by an amount related to the relative humidity. This cooling
effect is the same as the chill we feel when we step out of a shower. It is the difference between Wet Bulb
temperature and air temperature that is important, so air temperature or Dry Bulb temperature must also be
known to define the RH. In incubators the Dry Bulb temperature is constant (we hope!) so WB is often quoted
on its own.
Direct measurement of RH is not easy. Cheap hygrometers are available but you get what you pay for; we have
seen cheap instruments reading 30% different from out of the same new pack! More expensive direct reading
digital instruments have improved in recent years and are not so prone to calibration drift but still need to be
re-calibrated occasionally. A very reliable method of measuring RH without spending a lot of money, is to
measure wet and dry bulb temperatures and convert the information to %RH by using a simple chart.
Thermometers for measuring Wet and Dry bulb temperatures are usually identical; the wet bulb instrument
just has a wick around the bulb. There are two special cases where Wet and Dry bulb readings are the same;
when the air is saturated (100%RH), and when the wet wick has dried out!
A further complication is that it is difficult to measure humidity in ‘still air’ incubators. Wet bulb thermometers
do not work well in near static air conditions. The other problem is that the temperature will vary by several
degrees from the top of a still air incubator to the bottom and so RH readings will vary with height too.
Fortunately the humidity level in still air incubators is probably less critical than fan assisted (forced draught)
machines.

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Achieving correct humidity levels
There is a fairly easy and reliable way of measuring RH indirectly and, more importantly, directly measuring the
effect that RH level has on the egg. This is by weighing the eggs to monitor their water loss over the incubation
period. Most species of bird need to lose between 13 and 18% of their weight from the time of setting the eggs
in an incubator to hatching. Data is available on many species but as a rough guide, domestic hens, waterfowl
and game birds should lose 13 or 14%, parrot species and many other altricial species around 14 to 18%. By
measuring the weight of the eggs at intervals during incubation and comparing this to the expected weight
needed to achieve the ideal weight loss by hatching time, it is possible to see when the rate of water loss is too
great due to humidity being too low or vice versa. Eggs can be weighed individually or in convenient groups
(trays?) and averaged.
In practice this means drawing a graph (see below) with incubation time in days along the x-axis and weight up
the y-axis. The average weight of eggs when set (day 0) can be entered and the ideal hatching weight (average
day 0 weight less, say 14%) can be plotted on the day the hatch is due. These two points are joined to give the
ideal weight loss line. Average weights can then be taken every three or four days and plotted on the graph. If
the actual average weights are lower than the ideal then humidity levels need to be increased and vice versa.
Thus any deviation from the ideal weight loss line can be corrected as incubation progresses. The important
point is to reach the ideal weight loss by hatching day; some deviation form the ideal weight loss line earlier in
incubation will not cause damage.
The graph above shows the average actual weights of incubating eggs against the ideal weight loss line - Note that the
greater than ideal weight loss in the earlier stages of incubation has been corrected by hatching day.
Altering incubation humidity levels
All incubators should have the facility to evaporate water inside the egg chamber and thereby adjust humidity
levels. Two controllable factors influence humidity levels: water surface area and the amount of fresh air the
incubator draws in. Most incubators have two or more water pans to give some flexibility over evaporation
rates. Remember that it is the total surface area of water that matters not the depth. So to increase humidity
levels fill more pans and reduce ventilation by either adjusting the control or blocking up to half of the
ventilation holes. Some ventilation must be maintained to allow the chicks to breathe. Refer to the operator
instructions for your model. In exceptional circumstances it may be necessary to further increase the surface
area of evaporation by using evaporating pads or blotting paper to soak water from the vessels in the
incubator. Do not spray the eggs with water - the increase in humidity is very short lived and bacteria may be
spread.
54.0
56.0
58.0
60.0
62.0
64.0
66.0
68.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
Average egg weight (grams)
Incubation period (days)
Egg weight loss chart
Ideal weight (grams)
Measured weight
(grams)

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A third factor does affect incubation humidity levels and this is the ambient (or environmental) humidity level
outside the incubator. Clearly if the air being drawn into the incubator contains very little water then
incubation humidity levels will be lower (all else being equal) than if outside air is very humid. As explained
above, cold air cannot contain much water vapor so when cold winter air is warmed in temperature the RH
level will be very low (remember the sponge!). This happens in heated houses in winter and in incubators. The
result is that, in general, humidity levels will tend to be lower in your incubator in winter than in summer and
so water evaporation and ventilation levels should be adjusted with this in mind. Because eggs are more likely
to be damaged by excess incubation humidity, one common mistake is to use the same regime of water and
ventilation in the summer that was successful in the winter. In warm summers it may be that no water is
needed in the incubator until hatching time because the combination of warm, damp ambient air plus the
water given off by the eggs themselves gives sufficient RH levels.
There is no evidence of any change in ambient humidity levels associated with global temperature change as a
result of the Greenhouse Effect. Small climatic temperature changes are insignificant when compared to
seasonal variations and so although it may be fashionable, there is no justification in blaming a poor hatch on
global warming.
Humidity and Hatching
The humidity levels required as the chick emerges are different from those earlier in incubation. For the last
day or so of incubation humidity levels need to be much higher than earlier on. By ‘pipping’ stage the projected
weight loss of the eggs should have been achieved. High humidity levels are now required to prevent the down
of the chick and shell membranes drying too fast as air gets to them and becoming stuck and difficult to
separate. In natural incubation membranes do not dry as quickly because the parent bird covers the eggs and
reduces evaporation but in an incubator drying membranes can be a problem. The actual level of humidity is
not too critical for hatching but usually needs to be at least 60% RH. Humidity levels drop rapidly when the
incubator is opened and take much longer than temperature levels to re-establish. Try to avoid the temptation
of opening the incubator often when chicks are emerging to keep humidity high.
Relative Humidity (SI symbol  ) is defined as: Vapor pressure / Saturated vapor pressure. A more useful
measure for calculation purpose is Percent Saturation (SI symbol  ). This is defined as: mass of vapor per mass
of dry air / mass of saturation vapor per mass of dry air. Numerically the difference between the two measures
is quite small and usually ignored.

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What if the power goes off?
This is a question frequently asked by anxious incubationists, usually after the event which came unexpectedly
and the query is therefore ‘what damage is likely to have been done?’ Occasionally the power shutdown can be
predicted and the concern is to keep damage to a minimum.
With the emergency situation in mind as well as the more subtle question about daily cooling of eggs during
incubation, we have attempted to set out some of the more fundamental research information together with
our own experiences and suggestions.
A review by H. Lundy of research carried out by a number of scientists over many years identified five
temperature zones each of which is characterized by its major affect on the developing embryo. These zones
are not clear cut. There is some overlapping and the time for which the embryo is exposed and the age of the
embryo blur the limits.
Lundy’s five incubation Temperature Zones
In common with most scientific work on incubation, this data assumes an incubator with a fan (virtually no
temperature differences within the incubator) and was based on chicken eggs.
These zones are further explained as follows:
Zone of heat injury (above 104.9°F/40.5°C)
At continuous temperatures above 104.9°F (40.5°C) no embryos would be expected to hatch. However the
effect of short periods of high temperature are not necessarily lethal. Embryos up to 6 days are particularly
susceptible, older embryos are more tolerant. For example, embryos up to 5 days may well be killed by a few
hours exposure to 105.8°F (41°C) but approaching hatching time they may survive temperatures as high as
110°F (43.5°C) for several hours.
°C °F
Zone of heat injury
40.5 105 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Zone of hatching potential
35.0 95 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Zone of disproportionate
development
27.0 81 ---------------------------------------------------------------
Zone of suspended
development
-2.0 29 ----------------------------------------------------------------
Zone of cold injury

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Zone of hatching potential (104.9 - 84.5°F /35 - 40.5°C)
Within a range of 84.5 - 104.9°F (35 to 40.5°C) there is the possibility of eggs hatching. The optimum (for hens)
is 100.4°F (37.8 °C), above this temperature as well as a reduced hatch there will be an increase in the number
of crippled and deformed chicks. Above 104.9°F (40.5 °C) no embryos will survive.
Continuous temperatures within this range but below optimum retard development and increase mortalities.
However it is again evident that early embryos are more susceptible to continuous slightly low temperatures
than older embryos. Indeed, from 16 days on it may be beneficial to lower the incubation temperature by up to
3.6°F (2°C). I emphasize the word ‘continuous’ because the effects of short term reduction in temperature are
different and are discussed later.
Zone of disproportionate development (80.6 - 95°F /27 - 35°C)
Eggs kept above 80.6°F (27°C) will start to develop. However the development will be disproportionate in the
sense that some parts of the embryo will develop faster than others and some organs may not develop at all.
Below 95°F (35°C) no embryo is likely to survive to hatch. Typically the heart is much enlarged and the head
development more advanced than the trunk and limbs.
The temperature at the lower end of this range is sometimes referred to as ‘Physiological zero’ - the threshold
temperature for embryonic development. Unfortunately different organs appear to have different thresholds
resulting in an unviable entity.
Zone of suspended development (28.4 - 80.6°F /-2°C - 27°C)
Below about 80°F (27°C) no embryonic development takes place. Prior to incubation, eggs must be stored in
this temperature range (preferably around 59°F /15°C).
Zone of cold injury (28.4°F/-2°C)
Below this threshold ice crystals will start to form in the egg and permanently damage may be done to internal
structures. Eggs may lie for some considerable time in temperatures close to freezing without suffering
damage.
The analysis above gives us a fair idea of what may be happening to embryos kept continuously or for long
periods within these temperature bands. Of course continuous incubation at any temperature other than near
optimum is of little practical interest because it will not result in live birds but this information does give a
better understanding of what may happen if eggs should be accidentally overheated or chilled.
Further scientific data has resulted from experiments concerned specifically with intermittent chilling of eggs.
There is evidence that, during the early phase of incubation, chilling of eggs to below ‘physiological zero’ (say
77°F /25°C) does less harm than chilling to temperatures above that level. Embryos up to 7 days old may well
survive cooling to near freezing for 24 hours or more without damage. The cooling delays hatching but not by
as much as the period of chilling - so there appears to be some degree of compensation. The older the embryo,
the more likely it is to die as a result of chilling to below 80.6°F /27°C but the effect on surviving embryos is not
detrimental.
Other experiments have concentrated on cooling eggs less severely to temperatures within the zone of
‘disproportionate development’. In virtually all such experiments, increases in hatchability have been reported
varying from 2% to 25%, or even higher in the case of ducks and geese. There is some doubt as to whether the
effect is due to changes in humidity, CO2 level or to chilling alone.

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A number of conclusions from this data which have practical implications:
1 Cooling eggs for short periods, say 30 to 40 minutes, on a regular basis (say once every 24 hours) at
any stage during incubation has no detrimental effect and is probably of benefit.
2 If eggs are likely to be cooled for longer periods (more than 3 hours) the way they should be treated
depends upon their state of development. If the eggs are newly set the best plan is to cool them fairly
quickly down to 41 - 68°F (5 - 20°C) and hold them in this range - put them in the fridge! It may also be
best to treat eggs this way up to about the 14th day, although greater losses must be expected if
severe cooling occurs later in incubation.
If power loss occurs when the eggs are near hatching, incubator temperature is less critical, but severe
chilling will cause mortalities. It is preferable therefore, to take reasonable steps to limit heat loss by
keeping the incubator shut and raising the temperature of the room if possible. The metabolic heat
from the embryos will keep them warm for quite a long time.
3 Avoid maintaining eggs in early stages of incubation for long periods of time in the ‘zone of
disproportionate development’ (80.6 - 95°F/27 - 35°C). This will result in a large number of deaths and
abnormalities.
4 Avoid subjecting the eggs to over-temperature at any time but particularly in the early days of
incubation.
Remember that incubator thermometer readings will not be the same as embryo temperatures when cooling
or heating occurs. The eggs will lag behind the air temperature. For example, cooling hens eggs by taking them
out of the incubator into a room at 68°F /20°C for 30-40 minutes is likely to cool the internal egg temperature
by only 7 - 10°F (3 - 5°C). Eggs smaller or larger than hens eggs will react quicker or slower accordingly.
There is very little data on the effects of cooling eggs of other species. Duck eggs and to an even greater extent,
goose eggs, are said to benefit from periodic cooling. Our own experience seems to confirm this and we know
of instances where the eggs of both duck and domestic geese have been subjected to severe cooling for
prolonged periods without harm.
There is an obvious analogy with the natural process in cooling eggs periodically. Most species of bird leave the
nest for short periods to feed. It is quite possible that the resulting cooling and re-heating provides a stimulus
to the embryo which actually encourages growth. If the effect is more pronounced in ducks and geese it may
be because the requirement has, to some extent, been bred out of hens by years of artificial incubation. It
would follow that totally wild species may be even more susceptible to a cooling stimulus. Certainly there is no
evidence to suggest that short term cooling is likely to be harmful.
Hopefully these explanations will enable bird breeders to assess the likelihood of damage from accidents. It
should certainly allay any fears about the cooling that may accompany the manual turning or inspection of
eggs!
Brinsea Products Inc., 704 N Dixie Ave., Titusville, FL 32796-2017 USA.
Phone. [phone] Toll Free 1-888-667-7009 Fax [phone]
e-mail [email protected], website www.Brinsea.com