What do I do??? What do I do???!!!!

[Chickaholic]

I finally have my Ameraucana and Marans eggs, but I can't get my bator to work right now!!

I have a little giant that has a fan in it and an egg turner (that is fianlly working right) I can get the temp steady at 100% but I can't get the humidity right!

What are the exact numbers that I need and what is an ok buffer to go up or down out of the right temps?? Ex: If the right temp is 99.5 degrees is it ok to be at 100? and if the humidity for the first 18 days is supposed to be 40% is it ok to be at 45%?? Please help I want to get my eggs in but I am scared to ruin them!!

 

[Mahonri]

Humidity for the first 18 days is not that critical.

As long as it's between 30% and 45% you should be fine.

Good luck!

 

[Chickaholic]

ok so my humidity is at 56% - 70% and there is hardly any water in it at all! Is my hygrometor off?? How am I going to be able to tell the humidity?

 

[tammyd57]

First: BREATHE!!
Then calibrate your hygrometer by mixing 1/4 cup of water with 1/2 cup of salt in a small dish or cup, put the dish into a large zip bag and place your hygrometer next to the dish & zip closed. Leave it for about 12 hours (you are letting your eggs settle for a while before setting in the incubator so you have time to do this). The hygrometer should read 75 percent. If it's off, you just adjust by that amount when you read it in the incubator.

I hope this helps, and good luck with your hatch!

 

[Chickaholic]

Ok I tried the salt thing and been 9 hrs and it says 72 % humidity and it is saying 65.5 degrees but it's only 61 in my house, I had the mecury thermometor in all night but i think it's not correct either!!

Its running low, so the digital said it was 116 inside the bator and the mercury said 95, I feel like I am going to pull all of my hair out

what do I do???

 

[pinkchick]

Have you calibrated the mercury thermometer?

Are the eggs in the incubator yet?

 

[Chickaholic]

There is no water in it at all, I had the middle one half full and two hours later there was no water and there hasn't been any since.

 

[pinkchick]

I have better luck in my still air than my others that are circulated. Don't know why....just do.

Do you have another mercury thermometer?

How old are your eggs that you are going to put in?

 

[Kittymomma]

The bag will hold a bit of heat if it's been in the light so your thermometer could be fine. A 5 degree difference from your house theremometer is not that big of a deal, the temp is going to vary from spot to spot in the house anyhow.

As far as the humidity goes, if it's running a bit high why are you putting any water in the bator? I run mine dry for the first week or so and I know a lot of people don't add water until they are near or at lockdown. Good luck!

It really isn't as complicated at it sometimes seems. We're all trying for perfect hatches and tweak things towards that end but even with some pretty crazy things happening (power goes out, cat/kid knocks bator over, temp spikes, etc.) people still have some pretty good hatch rates, so just do the best you can and enjoy the experience.

 

[Chickaholic]

I don't have another mercury one but I will get one here in a little bit. Funny thing I have a still air going right now too and I am getting a much better reading out of it and I was contemplating using that one because the temp and humidity are more stable in it even coming out of a digital thermometer.