Humidity....AHHHHHHH?!?!?!?!

[Chix-in-GA]

I have a little giant incubator with forced air fan. I have the plugs out, and the channels full of water. I cant seem to get the blasted humidity over 28%....

I am in south GA so humidity is not normally a problem. The room and bator temps are perfect.

I even went as far as adding a wet sponge to the bator!!!!!

This is extremely frustrating....please help with any advice.

Thanks in advance to all you great chicken folk!

 

[BeardedChick]

What type of hygrometer are you using, and are you SURE it's working?

 

[Chix-in-GA]

I have tried 3 different ones...I am currently using a springfield digital. I have had a digital accurite and a dial one that I got from Petsmart!

The springfield is the only one that has given the right temp so I was hoping that the humidity was accurate as well.

The difference between the hygrometers is horrible. One reads 65% the other 28% and a third is 40%...how do I know which one is right?

Any suggestions on a truly accurite hygrometer would be greatly appreciated.

 

[BeardedChick]

I have two Springfields, and one is accurate and one is always really off (it stays at 28% all the time). So I'd think it could be the Springfield.

I don't know a great brand for those.

 

[farmergal]

I would guess that the hygrometer is off. Do you have eggs in it yet? If not, try putting the vent plug in. I bet you'll see water droplets start to form on the glass... which would tell you that you have humidity approaching 100%. I can't imagine that with ALL the water channels full in a 100-degree bator, in a humid room, you wouldn't have sky-high humidity. It doesn't add up!
Darn machinery...

 

[Chix-in-GA]

I do have eggs in it. The humidity was high 30's low 40's when I put the eggs in.

I have to hygrometers in the bator now. The springfield is showing 28% and the accurite is at 32%....both plugs are out.

I did take the sponge out to see what happens. I might put it back in shortly though.

This is truly frustrating...These are my first maran eggs and I hope it all works out.

Thaks for all your help and any more suggestions will be appreciated

 

[greathorse]

I am only asking this really dumb question because It was my big mistake when I first started. Your Accurite (the whole thing) is in the incubator right? When I first got mine I assumed the humidity reading was in the sensor that was attached by a cord?

I am sure you already knwew this.

 

[farmergal]

Do you have any idea what the room humidity is right now? What do the hygros say in the room? You could try bringing a boiling tea kettle into the room, hanging damp towels up in the room, and putting out pans full of warm water. I've been doing this to keep my room humidity around 53%. The more humid the room is, the more humid the bator will be... or so they say.

I'm also really frustrated with the humidity right now so I empathize!! but unlike you, mine's either too low OR too high... I can't seem to find a happy medium. It's either 25% or 70%. So now I'm adding teensy bits of water at a time, based on the dry incubation method, and checking after a few hours. By the way, according to Worrel, 25% humidity is okay for 24-36 hours... so don't panic... yet.

I hate opening the bator this much to keep messing with the hygrometers... grr!

Here's hoping we both end up back in the 35-40% humidity range...!

 

[Chix-in-GA]

Believe me...I dont think any question is dumb. But yes the hygrometers are in the bator.

I think...if the hyrometers are correct, the room humidity is at 42%.

Thank you all for the suggstions. I will try them all to see if it will help

Farmergal- I hope you get your humidity under control too. Let me know if you find anything that works.

 

[Jamie821]

take one of your hydrometors out of bator. take a coffee cup and put in it on half cup table salt and one fourth cup water. Stir it to mix the two together sound resemble wet sand. In a large resealable zip lock bag. Put the coffee cup with the salt water and the one hydrometor and seal bag. Let it stay in there for eight to twelve hours. Do not open bag until you look at the humidity reading. It should read seventy five. If not add or subtract the difference from seventy five. If it reads sixty you need to add fifteen this will give you the correct humiditY> if it is higher then seventy five say eightty then you need to subtract five for acurate humity