Incubators Anonymous

[ozexpat]

How do you get them over there? Ship them or fly with them?

fly with them. the full story is in my thread in my sig below.

be warned - its getting pretty long

 

[ddpbk1]

How much humidity is too high for lockdown? I came home yesterday and the thing read over 80% are they doomed?

 

[ki4got]

if they've already started pipping, the humidity can jump, but i'd rest easier if it were closer to 60... i'm having problems right now getting UP to 60. i've got my normal bowl i use, plus 2 tall glasses (so chicks can't jump in).

edit: think i just realized the difference... i'd taken out the plastic liner (that i never use). it could be the styrofoam bottom half is more porous, which is why it's losing humidity...

once this hatch is done, i'll put it back in and see what i get.

 

[Overoberyl]

if they've already started pipping, the humidity can jump, but i'd rest easier if it were closer to 60... i'm having problems right now getting UP to 60. i've got my normal bowl i use, plus 2 tall glasses (so chicks can't jump in).

edit: think i just realized the difference... i'd taken out the plastic liner (that i never use). it could be the styrofoam bottom half is more porous, which is why it's losing humidity...

once this hatch is done, i'll put it back in and see what i get.

I'm pretty sure there are actual holes in the bottom which are sort of blocked when the liner is in there. I noticed that about the Genesis the other day so it may be the same with the 1602.

 

[ddpbk1]

I used felt that put in water and then wrung out to get it up and then 2 sponges and it got to 80% it was the beginning of day 18. So am I good or not?

 

[Overoberyl]

I used felt that put in water and then wrung out to get it up and then 2 sponges and it got to 80% it was the beginning of day 18. So am I good or not?

I would probably take some out. It doesn't have to be that high prior to any of them pipping. It might get that high naturally after they start to hatch, but it only really needs to be around 60% to do the job.

 

[GreenGirlGrammy]

I used felt that put in water and then wrung out to get it up and then 2 sponges and it got to 80% it was the beginning of day 18. So am I good or not?

That's higher than it should be this early in lock down, but it won't hurt if you go ahead and get it down to about 60%. Then you can add a sponge to get it back up to about 70 as they go into day 21. For now take the little red plug out and maybe the felt until you get it back to 60. If it stays at 80%, there is a high possibility that they will drown. What to the rest of you think. Am I right?

 

[ozexpat]

That's higher than it should be this early in lock down, but it won't hurt if you go ahead and get it down to about 60%. Then you can add a sponge to get it back up to about 70 as they go into day 21. For now take the little red plug out and maybe the felt until you get it back to 60. If it stays at 80%, there is a high possibility that they will drown. What to the rest of you think. Am I right?

water does not go back into the egg.

if the air cell size is already ok, dont panic take out one sponge

 

[Flowerbh]

So, I'm confused. You guys are talking about taking things out or putting things in (sponges, etc) after lockdown. I thought you shouldn't open the incubator at all during this time. I just lost 5 fully formed-ready to hatch chicks because I had to add more water in durning lockdown. So, is it safe to do or not???

 

[ki4got]

Quote: if you're using a hovabator or similar incubator, YANK THOSE PLUGS NOW! hatching chicks need even more air to breathe than growing eggs do, and without it, they simply won't hatch. they'll suffocate. air circulation is critical for hatching chicks, as much or more so than humidity is. the humidity keeps them able to move inside the shell and hatch correctly, but the air keeps them breathing and alive. i took the plugs out of all my incubators the day i got them, and haven't seen them since.

anything over 50% is good for humidity, but too high also makes it harder for the chicks to breathe with their new lungs. it'll jump naturally once chicks start popping out and drying, but it dissipates fast on it's own, going back to whatever level you had prior to the chick(s) coming out.