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Ok, guys, I'm losing it. I swear I've gotten at least a dozen new gray hairs in the last 24 hrs. My dang humidity is driving me crazy! I've been trying to keep it around 35% since I candled last night (Day 1 to check fertility- looks like 9 or maybe all 10 are fertile!) And it looked like some air cells were getting too large with it at 25-30%. Only problem- I added just a TINY bit of water and it shot up to 70% (!!!) And stayed there, even after the water was gone. I took off the lid to try and let some escape, but it just went right back up. I don't understand. When I was keeping it at 25-30 it kept going down to about 21-22, I couldn't keep it up, and now all of a sudden it's at 70 and won't come down?! Wtf? This is driving me crazy! Any suggestions?
 
FreedomFarm13 said:
Ok, guys, I'm losing it. I swear I've gotten at least a dozen new gray hairs in the last 24 hrs. My dang humidity is driving me crazy! I've been trying to keep it around 35% since I candled last night (Day 1 to check fertility- looks like 9 or maybe all 10 are fertile!) And it looked like some air cells were getting too large with it at 25-30%. Only problem- I added just a TINY bit of water and it shot up to 70% (!!!) And stayed there, even after the water was gone. I took off the lid to try and let some escape, but it just went right back up. I don't understand. When I was keeping it at 25-30 it kept going down to about 21-22, I couldn't keep it up, and now all of a sudden it's at 70 and won't come down?! Wtf? This is driving me crazy! Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
It is not uncommon for hygrometers (especially digital hygrometers that are part of the unit) to be wrong. Humidity is strictly a function of the surface area of the water in the incubator in relation to the temperature of the incubator. Be sure you are using a hygrometer that can be trusted. It is a relative simple procedure to check the accuracy of a hygrometer using moistened salt in a closed container.
 
FreedomFarm13 said:
Ok, guys, I'm losing it. I swear I've gotten at least a dozen new gray hairs in the last 24 hrs. My dang humidity is driving me crazy! I've been trying to keep it around 35% since I candled last night (Day 1 to check fertility- looks like 9 or maybe all 10 are fertile!) And it looked like some air cells were getting too large with it at 25-30%. Only problem- I added just a TINY bit of water and it shot up to 70% (!!!) And stayed there, even after the water was gone. I took off the lid to try and let some escape, but it just went right back up. I don't understand. When I was keeping it at 25-30 it kept going down to about 21-22, I couldn't keep it up, and now all of a sudden it's at 70 and won't come down?! Wtf? This is driving me crazy! Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

I agree, pull your hygrometer and test it. Sometimes, if you spill some water when loading the troughs, some can get spilled and in to weird places which tends to spike the humidity for a while. I'm not sure if that's a possibility in your situation or not. It won't hurt your eggs if you need to open the incubator for 10 minutes or so to dump out your water treetops and start again.
 
Auroradream26 said:
I agree, pull your hygrometer and test it. Sometimes, if you spill some water when loading the troughs, some can get spilled and in to weird places which tends to spike the humidity for a while. I'm not sure if that's a possibility in your situation or not. It won't hurt your eggs if you need to open the incubator for 10 minutes or so to dump out your water treetops and start again.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I've dumped it. Twice. It still was staying at about 50% for a while after that. Finally got it down though and now I'm having trouble keeping it up again...ugh. I did calibrate my hygrometer (an incutherm plus) when I first got it using the salt method, but maybe I should do it again, just to be sure it's still accurate. I have been having weird, cloudy, weather with some wild swings in temp outside, don't know if that's contributing to the problem or not...and it did rain a couple days ago when I set these eggs, which may be why my humidity spiked. Guess we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the advice!
 
FreedomFarm13 said:
Yeah, I've dumped it. Twice. It still was staying at about 50% for a while after that. Finally got it down though and now I'm having trouble keeping it up again...ugh. I did calibrate my hygrometer (an incutherm plus) when I first got it using the salt method, but maybe I should do it again, just to be sure it's still accurate. I have been having weird, cloudy, weather with some wild swings in temp outside, don't know if that's contributing to the problem or not...and it did rain a couple days ago when I set these eggs, which may be why my humidity spiked. Guess we'll see how it goes. Thanks for the advice!
Click to expand...


Are you running an Air conditioner, humidifier or de-humidifier in the room your incubator is in?

I find they make hatching nearly impossible.
 
No, but there's a small space heater pointing away from it. I've been trying to keep the temp in the room somewhat stable because of the swings in temp outside. It's been anywhere from 35 to 75* the last few days. Would having the heater in there mess with it more than the outside temps?
 
FreedomFarm13 said:
No, but there's a small space heater pointing away from it. I've been trying to keep the temp in the room somewhat stable because of the swings in temp outside. It's been anywhere from 35 to 75* the last few days. Would having the heater in there mess with it more than the outside temps?
Click to expand...


I doubt that as long as you can keep the temp stable... BUT on the other hand, when the heater is running a lot the moisture could be sucked out of the incubator..and when it's not maybe it builds up..I am just not sure..
 
FreedomFarm13 said:
I knew I shouldn't incubate in colder weather, lol. So complicated and frustrating!
Click to expand...


On that you are right. I will start in a few weeks, I hate the results I get, 30% will be considered great here. The roosters have low sperm count. They both have a ton of fluff on their butts making conception difficult.

Eggs get cold and die or worse freeze and crack... It is the only time I wish I lived 500 miles south of here...
 
duluthralphie said:
On that you are right. I will start in a few weeks, I hate the results I get, 30% will be considered great here. The roosters have low sperm count. They both have a ton of fluff on their butts making conception difficult.

Eggs get cold and die or worse freeze and crack... It is the only time I wish I lived 500 miles south of here...
Click to expand...

Yeah, I can only imagine. It gets cold enough to freeze eggs here, and I live in Arkansas! And I only have 2 girls laying right now (my beloved Calliope- BW Am, and one of my Speckled Sussex pullets hatched this spring, Bree). Glad I don't live further north, or even those 2 probably wouldn't be laying (well, maybe Callie, she's a good girl). Spring can't come soon enough so I'll be back in full swing again!
 

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