Green, Gala & Mega Egg Incubators — Installation, Operation and Maintenance
The Green, Gala and Mega incubators are designed for straightforward operation. Nevertheless, successful incubation requires appropriate environmental conditions, healthy fertilized eggs and careful supervision.
This English guide is based on the operating manual supplied by CocksMachine. It explains the incubator components, backup controllers, battery connection, automatic egg turning, humidity control, incubation procedures and maintenance.
Please read the entire guide before placing fertilized eggs inside the incubator.
Green, Gala & Mega — Main Technical Specifications
The following specifications describe the equipment configuration presented in the supplied manual. Confirm that your particular machine has the same configuration before following component-specific instructions.
Factory settings: The incubator has already been configured at the factory. Do not change the controller settings unnecessarily.
Critical Safety and Operating Notices
The fan must operate continuously. Check the fan every day throughout the entire incubation period.
Make sure its speed has not decreased. Inadequate airflow may cause developing embryos to suffocate.
Humidifier warranty notice: Due to differences in water hardness between regions, the humidifier (mist generator) is not covered by the warranty, according to the original manual.
Do not open the incubator door during the final three days of incubation except in emergencies. This is particularly important after the first chicks begin to hatch.
Do not interfere with the incubator's electronic components or factory-adjusted settings.
General Operating Conditions
- Run the incubator for one or two days before placing eggs inside to make sure it operates correctly.
- If you are inexperienced, begin with a small number of inexpensive eggs rather than valuable fertilized eggs.
- Do not place the incubator outdoors, in direct sunlight or in an area exposed to wind.
- Maintain the room temperature between 23°C and 27°C. The manual warns that operating outside this range may significantly reduce incubation efficiency.
- Keep the machine away from direct hot or cold airflow produced by heating and air-conditioning equipment.
- Do not operate the incubator in an enclosed space without adequate ventilation.
- Air openings beneath the machine supply fresh air. Do not place the incubator on carpet, rugs or flooring that could block these openings.
- Never block the ventilation channel on the top of the incubator.
- The recommended room relative humidity is 50–55%.
- The maximum room-temperature fluctuation stated in the manual is 4°C. Pay attention to daytime and nighttime temperature changes.
Ventilation is essential. Both the fresh-air inlet beneath the machine and the outlet at the top must remain unobstructed.
Three Factors Affecting Incubation Results
The original manual identifies three major factors that determine incubation performance.
- The incubator
- The fertilized eggs
- The operator
Fresh, healthy fertilized eggs and an experienced operator are just as important as the quality of the incubator itself.
Selecting and Storing Fertilized Eggs
- Do not use old eggs. The manual specifies a maximum storage period of 7 days, provided proper storage conditions are maintained.
- Never store fertilized eggs in a refrigerator.
- Store eggs in a dark location at approximately 18°C and 55% relative humidity.
- Before transferring eggs into the incubator, keep them for several hours in a warmer environment of approximately 25°C to reduce the risk of temperature shock.
- Place eggs with their pointed ends facing downward.
- Do not wash fertilized eggs. Use a dry brush or toothbrush for gentle cleaning.
- Avoid excessively large, excessively small or unusually shaped eggs.
Important: Proper egg selection and storage play a major role in successful incubation.
Understanding the Incubation Process
The original manual divides the incubation process into two stages: Setter and Hatching.
Setter Stage
During the setter stage, eggs remain in the automatic turning system while the embryos develop inside them.
For chicken eggs, the setter stage lasts 18 days.
- Setter-stage temperature: 37.7°C
- Relative humidity: 55–65%
- Eggs remain in the automatic turning system throughout this stage.
Hatching Stage
During the hatching stage, the embryo has developed sufficiently and egg turning is no longer required.
Eggs must be transferred from the turning system to the hatching baskets.
For chicken eggs, the manual describes a three-day hatching period.
Egg Candling — Checking Embryo Development
Egg candling involves shining light through the egg to check fertility and embryo development.
The original manual requires candling on the 7th and 14th days of incubation.
Important Candling Conditions
- Perform candling in a dark room.
- Keep the room warm to prevent temperature shock to the embryos.
- Avoid strong shaking or sudden movements of the eggs.
- Complete candling as quickly as possible.
- Remove transparent eggs showing no embryo development, as instructed in the manual.
Candling on Day 7
When candling on the seventh day, developing eggs should show dark lines corresponding to blood vessels.
Candling on Day 14
By the fourteenth day, approximately two-thirds of the egg interior should appear dark.
If the entire interior remains transparent, the manual considers this an indication that no embryo has developed.
Infertile eggs: The original manual instructs users to remove infertile eggs because of the possible risk of contaminating other eggs.
After the incubation cycle, the manual recommends investigating eggs that did not hatch.
It also states that eggs still containing unchanged yolk and egg white after 21 days were not fertilized.
Green, Gala & Mega — Machine Components
1. Machine Body
The machine body is constructed from double-layer PVC with a 3 cm insulation layer inside the body.
2. Digital Temperature and Humidity Controllers
The incubator configuration described in the manual uses four digital controllers:
- Main temperature controller: Resolution of 0.1°C.
- Backup temperature controller: Resolution of 0.1°C.
- Main humidity controller: Resolution of 1%.
- Backup humidity controller: Resolution of 1%.
Under normal operating conditions, the main temperature and humidity controllers are connected to the active control circuit.
The temperature readings shown by the two controllers should be close, with differences of only a few tenths of a degree.
The humidity controllers may show differences of approximately 1–5%.
Temperature Controller Indicator Light
When the temperature is below the configured value, the thermostat's green indicator light remains illuminated while the incubator is heating.
When the temperature reaches its configured value, the indicator light turns off.
Factory settings: The controller settings were adjusted at the factory. Do not alter them unnecessarily.
3. Air Circulation Fan
The fan must run continuously during incubation. Check its operation every day and verify that the fan speed has not decreased.
After each incubation cycle, clean the fan and lubricate it using a lubricating spray, as instructed in the manual.
Inadequate fan speed can reduce ventilation and cause developing embryos to suffocate.
4. Power Supply and Battery Connection
The original manual specifies a 30-amp power supply and describes connecting a vehicle battery during an electrical power outage.
- Connect the red battery clamp to the positive (+) terminal.
- Connect the black battery clamp to the negative (−) terminal.
- The manual states that the power supply charges the battery while mains electricity is available.
Battery polarity warning: If the clamps touch each other or are connected with reversed polarity, the fuse on the battery cable may blow.
Never use a worn-out or defective battery. Follow the original wiring diagram and disconnect power before performing electrical work.
Fuse specification: The original manual specifies a 20-amp fuse and states that a spare fuse is included in the package.
5. Humidifier
When the humidity is below the configured level, the humidity control indicator illuminates and the humidifier operates.
- Use distilled water to help extend humidifier life.
- The water level must remain above the humidifier's metal sensor.
- The humidifier will not start if the water level is below the sensor.
- Add water approximately every 2–3 days, according to the component instructions.
Warranty notice: Because of differences in regional water hardness, the mist-generating humidifier is excluded from warranty coverage according to the original manual.
6. Egg Candler
The egg candler is used on the seventh and fourteenth days to check fertility and embryo development.
7. Automatic Egg Turning System
The turning system described in the manual includes three different types of egg cups for different bird species.
The method for replacing the egg cups is shown in the instructional video referenced by the original manual.
Checking motor operation: Egg-turning motors move very slowly, and their movement may not be visible to the eye.
The manual instructs the user to place a hand on the motor and check for warmth and vibration.
Five Independent Turning Levels
The equipment described in the manual has five levels.
Each level has an independent turning motor. Each motor also has a signal light indicating that electrical power is reaching the motor.
Motor connectors: Connect each motor plug to the designated location. Make sure every connector is inserted fully and securely.
8. Water Reservoir
The water reservoir at the bottom of the machine is washable and can be replaced easily.
Step-by-Step Installation and Startup
Before placing fertilized eggs inside the machine, complete the following startup procedure.
- Choose the appropriate egg cups and place them on the turning mechanisms.
- Connect the motor plugs to the designated electrical sockets.
- Fill the water reservoir until the water level is above the metal sensor.
- Connect the machine's power supply and switch it on.
- Confirm that all four digital controllers are illuminated.
- Confirm that all five motor indicator lights are illuminated.
- Confirm that the fan indicator light is illuminated and the fan is operating.
- If relative humidity is below 60%, confirm that the humidity indicator is illuminated and the humidifier is operating.
- Allow the incubator to operate for one full day before introducing eggs.
- After confirming correct operation, load the fertilized eggs with their pointed ends facing downward.
Internal operating conditions stated in the startup section:
- Temperature: 37.5–37.7°C
- Relative humidity: 55–65%
Do not change the factory settings. The machine has already been adjusted before delivery.
Daily Operation During the Setter Stage
- Check that the four digital controllers are functioning normally.
- Confirm that the fan continues to operate throughout incubation.
- Check all five motor signal lights.
- Monitor the automatic turning motors.
- Keep the water level above the humidifier's metal sensor.
- During the 18-day setter period, the startup instructions specify adding water every two days.
- Perform egg candling on the seventh and fourteenth nights.
- Check that the room temperature remains stable and ventilation openings remain clear.
Hatching Procedure — Day 18
For chicken eggs, the original manual instructs the user to begin the hatching procedure on day 18.
- Remove the automatic turning mechanisms from the machine.
- Place the eggs carefully into the hatching baskets.
- Carry out the transfer in a warm room to avoid temperature shock to the embryos.
- Add sufficient water to the reservoir so that opening the door to refill water will not be necessary during the following days.
- Close the incubator door carefully.
- Avoid opening the door during the final three days except under emergency conditions.
Do not open the incubator unnecessarily during hatching. Opening the door can disturb the incubation environment and may harm chicks still inside their eggs.
Removing Newly Hatched Chicks
The original manual recommends limiting door openings and describes removing chicks on the second and fourth days of the hatching period.
Important timing note: The original manual describes the normal chicken hatching period as three days and advises against opening the door during the last three days.
It also mentions opening the door on the second and fourth hatching days to remove chicks. These statements have been preserved as written and should be clarified by CocksMachine before using them as a precise door-opening schedule.
Excess Humidity During Hatching
As chicks begin to emerge from their eggs, humidity inside the incubator may increase.
The manual instructs users to open the small roof ventilation openings when necessary to release excess humidity.
Extended Hatching Period
The manual notes that hatching may continue until day 25.
Drying Newly Hatched Chicks
According to the original manual, chicks may remain inside the incubator for up to 48 hours while drying.
During this period, they use the nutrients remaining in their yolk reserves.
Cleaning and Maintenance After Each Cycle
- Check the ventilation openings in front of the fan.
- Make sure the roof ventilation openings are clear.
- Remove chick down and other debris that may obstruct airflow.
- Clean the fan thoroughly after every incubation cycle.
- Lubricate the fan using the lubricating spray described in the manual.
- Clean the removable water reservoir.
- Do not use chemical cleaning products on the incubator, as instructed in the manual.
- Before beginning another cycle, confirm that the fan, motors, controllers and humidifier are working correctly.
Blocked airflow: Chick down can block the lower air inlets and upper outlets, preventing fresh air from entering and used air from leaving the incubator.
Using the Backup Temperature and Humidity Controllers
The machine configuration described in the manual includes backup controllers for temperature and humidity.
If a main controller fails, the original manual describes the following procedure for switching to the corresponding backup controller.
- Switch the incubator off completely.
- Remove the trays from the machine.
- Remove the plastic grille inside the ceiling to access the controller compartment.
- Disconnect the cable from the rear of the faulty digital controller.
- Connect the cable to the backup controller, maintaining the same connector orientation.
- Reinstall the plastic ceiling grille in its original position.
Electrical safety: This procedure involves internal electrical connections. Disconnect electrical power before accessing the controller compartment. The procedure should be carried out only by someone competent to work with the equipment.
Incubation Periods for Different Bird Species
The following incubation periods are translated from the table in the supplied Persian manual.
| Bird Species | Incubation Period (Days) |
|---|---|
| Chicken | 21 |
| Peacock | 28 |
| Ostrich | 42 |
| Goose | 28–31 |
| Swan | 30 |
| Pigeon | 16–18 |
| Pheasant | 20–24 |
| Quail | 17–18 |
| Partridge | 23–25 |
Important: Incubation periods differ between bird species. The chicken-specific 18-day setter and three-day hatching instructions should not automatically be applied unchanged to other species.
Green, Gala & Mega — Final Operating Checklist
Before each incubation cycle, confirm that:
- The room temperature is within the recommended 23–27°C range.
- Room ventilation and humidity are suitable.
- The incubator has been tested for at least one day.
- All four digital controllers are functioning correctly.
- The five motor indicator lights are illuminated.
- The turning motors are operating.
- The fan runs continuously.
- The water reservoir has sufficient water.
- The humidifier works when required.
- The eggs have been selected, stored and positioned properly.
- Factory controller settings remain unchanged.
- Candling is planned for days 7 and 14.
- The hatching baskets are ready for day 18.
- All air inlets and outlets are clear.
- The fan and water reservoir have been cleaned after the previous cycle.
- The backup controllers are available in case of a main controller failure.
CocksMachine — Green, Gala & Mega Egg Incubator User Guide