Something is wrong with my incubator...

Shaf9

In the Brooder
Jun 28, 2015
38
0
32
So I have a little Giant incubator with the fan. The front digital portion of the incubator is reading 45-50% humidity. I bought a separate hygrometer/thermometer which I calibrated using the salt water test. It was off 4 degrees from the 75% correct humidity. I dropped it in the incubator and it was reading 30-31 % humidity without the 4 degrees taken off. So it was reading 26% humidity. I'm wondering if all my eggs have gone bad now if the humidity was wrong from day1. I also thought the incubator would hold 40-45 % humidity without any water.
 
Different brand but my incubator is off too. I've just gone by the external one and it seems to have worked well. I've had to constantly add water to keep at 45%

Have a search for dry incubating, I don't know much about it other than there is a school of thought that incubates at much lower humidity. If they can do it hopefully yours should be okay too.
 
Different brand but my incubator is off too. I've just gone by the external one and it seems to have worked well. I've had to constantly add water to keep at 45%

Have a search for dry incubating, I don't know much about it other than there is a school of thought that incubates at much lower humidity. If they can do it hopefully yours should be okay too.
tried calibrating the hygrometer again still same number 31% in incubator which is about 27-28%. Don't see why there's such a large humidity discrepancy. The front panel on incubator says 47% humidity
 
I'm new here, but we have a good friend of ours who strictly recommends a "dry hatch". Basically, all of her incubators run at about 25% humidity, until about day 18. At that point she adds water into the water troughs and brings the humidity up. We recently put eggs in an incubator for the first time, and our humidity was running at 70%. I know this is way to high, but I asked her why the humidity made a difference. She explained that the high humidity wouldn't allow the liquid inside of the egg to dissipate correctly. She said the water or liquid would actually gather in the air cell, and when the chick started the hatching process, it would actually drown because there was liquid where it shouldn't be. So, that's why too high of humidity is worse than too low.

From what I have read, lower humidity, such as what you are describing, shouldn't hurt your hatch. Too low is better than too high...with humidity and with temperature. If they were mine, I would leave them and continue with your hatch. The friend that I'm talking about hatches dozens of chicks per month, so she's doing something right.

Good luck. I hope they turn out ok.
 
So I have a little Giant incubator with the fan. The front digital portion of the incubator is reading 45-50% humidity. I bought a separate hygrometer/thermometer which I calibrated using the salt water test. It was off 4 degrees from the 75% correct humidity. I dropped it in the incubator and it was reading 30-31 % humidity without the 4 degrees taken off. So it was reading 26% humidity. I'm wondering if all my eggs have gone bad now if the humidity was wrong from day1. I also thought the incubator would hold 40-45 % humidity without any water.
First off never never never trust the gages (especially the thermometers) on the incubators (especially the little giant and especially the 9300 model). I highly suggest having two individual checked thermometers as well. Now, as for humidity, if you are not in a high elevation, I actually recommend the low humidity or "dry" (as it's often called) as it seems to provide more successful hatches, especially in the styro bators. But, the key is to monitor air cells (or weight) in the eggs to know how and when to adjust. I highly recommend taking a look at this: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity and monitoring the air cell to see if you need to higher the humidity. What day are you on now? And btw, no, the eggs don't go bad from the humidity, but if you have time you may need to adjust humidity levels before hatch to offest improper air cell growth.
 
First off never never never trust the gages (especially the thermometers) on the incubators (especially the little giant and especially the 9300 model). I highly suggest having two individual checked thermometers as well. Now, as for humidity, if you are not in a high elevation, I actually recommend the low humidity or "dry" (as it's often called) as it seems to provide more successful hatches, especially in the styro bators. But, the key is to monitor air cells (or weight) in the eggs to know how and when to adjust. I highly recommend taking a look at this: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity and monitoring the air cell to see if you need to higher the humidity. What day are you on now? And btw, no, the eggs don't go bad from the humidity, but if you have time you may need to adjust humidity levels before hatch to offest improper air cell growth.
i'm on day 15 and i couldnt really candle my eggs because they're the dark chocolate kind.
 
i'm on day 15 and i couldnt really candle my eggs because they're the dark chocolate kind.
Marans? The dark ones are a problem. Can you not even make out an air cell? (Candling from the top of the egg.) I wouldn't worry too much. You're at day 15, only 3 days to lockdown. It is my understanding that the dark ones loose moisture slower, so you may be better off. I run my incubations at about 30% until day 18 then at day 18 I up it to 75%. I have not done the dark browns, but I have had awesome hatches with the lower humidity method.
 
Marans? The dark ones are a problem. Can you not even make out an air cell? (Candling from the top of the egg.) I wouldn't worry too much. You're at day 15, only 3 days to lockdown. It is my understanding that the dark ones loose moisture slower, so you may be better off. I run my incubations at about 30% until day 18 then at day 18 I up it to 75%. I have not done the dark browns, but I have had awesome hatches with the lower humidity method.
well last time only 3 out of like 30+ eggs hatched so i hope i get more this time plus i really want some maran chicks. Crossing my fingers and hopeing for the best.
 

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