Incubator Maintenance Checklist: Keep Your Machine Running for Years

A good incubator can last many years. What decides how many is not the price of the machine, it is the care it gets between batches. This is the routine we recommend.

Before every hatch

• Clean the machine, trays and baskets. Wash with warm water and a mild disinfectant, rinse well and let everything dry completely before use.
• Never spray water or cleaner onto the controller, sensor connections or wiring.
• Run the machine empty for 24 hours at the working temperature. Watch that it settles and holds.
• Check the temperature against a second thermometer. If the two disagree, find out which one is wrong before you set eggs.
• Check that the eggs turn. Switch the machine on, watch the tray tilt to one side and back, and listen for the motor.
• If you have an AC/DC model, test the battery switch-over with the machine empty.
• Look over cables, plugs and the heating element for damage.

During the hatch

• Check the water tray and the readings once or twice a day, at the same times.
• Keep the lid closed as much as you can. Every opening drops the temperature and humidity.
• Write down the day you set the eggs and the day you expect them to hatch, so lockdown does not catch you by surprise.
• Candle around day 7 to 10 and again around day 18, and remove clear eggs so they do not rot inside the machine.

After the hatch

• Switch off and unplug the machine before you clean it.
• Remove all egg shell, fluff and waste. Fluff in the fan and vents is a common cause of poor airflow.
• Wash and disinfect the machine, trays and baskets, rinse and dry fully.
• Wipe the sensors gently with a dry cloth, and do not soak them.
• Store the machine dry, with the lid slightly open so air can move through.

Once or twice a year

• Tighten loose screws, plugs and terminals.
• Check door seals and replace worn ones.
• Look at the fan blades and motor for wear, wobble or noise.
• Check the heating element for cracks or burnt spots.

Spares worth keeping

If you hatch for a living, keep a spare temperature and humidity sensor and a spare pair of limit switches. They are cheap compared with a lost batch. We stock these and the other spare parts, with photos and prices on our Repairs and Spares page.