Setting humidity in incubator?

[tbone303]

I agree with Ruby and kuchchicks! But would like to ask... do you have another hygrometer in your incubator besides the one on the unit? I would highly recommend adding one, after testing it for accuracy! Best of luck with your hatch!

I had 2 in there at first initial testing of the incubator I had one we use tell humidiity in the house an analog type. The other is digital an incubator warehouse incutherm+ with a probe that goes into the incubator. The incutherm read 4% lower than the analog one.

 

[tbone303]

OK, just an update its been almost 10 days now since the eggs have been in the bator around day 6 there was a bad smell coming from the bator sure enough one was rotten(a blue orp egg), I chucked that one out. Of my cream legbar eggs 6 out of 9 are growing the other 3 are clears. Of the 6 that are growing 2 were repaired with elmers glue cause they had hair line cracks. I got a few questions about vent plugs according to the Article "Hatching Eggs 101" its best to leave the vent plugs in for the first 10 days to increase carbon dioxide for a more stronger and healthier chick. Since it's almost more than 10 days do I take all vent plugs out or leave a couple in, there are 3 in all? Thanks

 

[kuchchicks]

Mine are always out...primarily because my 2 year old lost them. I have hatch rates 85%~90% and chicks are very healthy.

 

[tbone303]

Mine are always out...primarily because my 2 year old lost them. I have hatch rates 85%~90% and chicks are very healthy.

Ok i got 2 of 3 out now, since most syrofoam incubators have 2 i will run it like it is now, there is also a 4th hole right over the fan that one is open all the time cant be plugged so really I have 3 holes open. With these open will I have to watch the humidity more and have to add water more often since there is more air exchange?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You might have to bump up the temp after taking out the plugs. My Hovabator only has the one hole above the fan. When I used a LG I'd just run it without the plugs (had two).

 

[WVduckchick]

I never plugged any of the vent holes

 

[tbone303]

Seems that leaving the plugs out is the favored choice. Thanks for the replies.

 

[tbone303]

It is day 14 and I just candled all my eggs this time, looks like I had only one egg die out of the 36 so far it died in the first week it looks like. I started with 36, one was rotten in the first week, one embryo died and 6 are clears. So I am left with 28 eggs that seem to be growing. The air sacks range in size some look like a day 7 and some look like a day 14, I have had my humidity at about 40% the whole time. I did have the plugs in for the first 10 days which would restrict air flow a bit, but now they are out. Would I be best to run it at about 30% that would be with no water in it at all for the next 4 days until lockdown?

 

[kuchchicks]

What day do the majority look like? That is what I would go with. But on a side note I always run mine between 30%-35%. I never add water until it is in the upper 20%.

Good job so far. Hope you have a good hatch!

 

[tbone303]

What day do the majority look like? That is what I would go with. But on a side note I always run mine between 30%-35%. I never add water until it is in the upper 20%.

Good job so far. Hope you have a good hatch!

Thanks, i Will keep it around 30 % untill lock down. The smaller air sacks are mostly the maran eggs, which i read have a thicker shell so they loose humidity slower. They look like something at about day7 to 10, when comparing to the picture on the first page of the thread.