A ?? about humidity level

[Milliemay]

Hi fellow BYCer's,

I have yet another question for you. I have a Little Giant still air incubator, I took the egg turner out last night and will begin LD tonight. The humidity is staying at 52%, I have the red plugs in the top, water in the bottom, and a wet sponge also. Any suggestions, or will this humidity level suffice? I have 23 eggs that all look like they have activity in them. Thanks again for the info!

 

[ranchhand]

Happy hatching!

I usually go between 50 and 60% for lockdown, so you're fine. Once they start hatching the humidity will go up.

 

[isabrowneyedsue]

i have that same incubator, and in the directions it says take the plugs out....i just put mine upside down on the holes to adjust, but i think it took several hours to get up to 68 - 70 % on mine. i also put a vaporizer in my room to help because the air here was very dry, that really seemed to help and when the humidity was okay i just shut it off, it it seemed low, i plugged it back in. i know that even with the plugs out the humidity at times was over 70 % with an egg level temp of 101, and the eggs hatched really good. it takes some tinkering but make sure you give it time in between adjustments because those stupid lg temp knobs are so so so touchy...GOOD LUCK!!!

 

[Kittymomma]

I take the plugs out at lockdown--actually I always have the front plug out and remove the second one at lockdown to get more oxygen in there for hatching. I also have a lg still air and run it at 62-72% humidity the last three days. I don't have any problems keeping the humidity there with the plugs out, but that can vary a lot depending on your location and how dry or humid it is where you live. Did you calibrate your hygrometer?

 

[Milliemay]

Silly me, I had it backwards. I was thinking the plugs in would make the humidity higher. I will remove a plug, and yes a calibration is on my list of things to do before LD.....I am really hoping that I will have success, I am hoping for Buff Orp/RIR babies,

and my kids have an egg from their polish x with RIR. I candled last night, I saw movement in most of the eggs, although the darker eggs were hard to tell at this point, I have 23 eggs, or did I already say that in my original post? Maybe I am really losing it to the chickens,(my family is starting to wonder about me, when they can't find me they check the room where the bator is)

...Thanks!

 

[babsbag]

The humidity would go up with the plugs in, but you HAVE to have ventilation or the chicks will die from the build up of CO2. Wet sponges are good, wet rags will work also. Remember it is the surface area of the water that determines the evaporation, hence humidity. The depth of the water does not matter. Personally I would try to get it a little higher. I ran mine around 65-75%. I had a homemade incubator and stuck pans of water with sponges in it everywhere I could fit them, but not where chicks could get in them. I also ran tubing through the vent holes into the pans so I could add water without opening the incubator. I used syringes attached to the tubing to add water. I also misted the inside of the incubator with warm water, through a vent hole if it started to drop too much. I guess misting is done by some and frowned upon by others, but it worked for me. All the viable eggs hatched.

But PLEASE take a vent plug out. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[isabrowneyedsue]

Quote:
i ran the whole cycle with out plugs, except when it seemed the temp was fluctuating too much or the humidity was seeming really low, i think that air flow is key. once that first chick hatched the humidity was through the roof, and i kind of regretted that sponge in there....but, i used a knitting needle and just cracked the lid the tiniest bit, that helped, but yeah after the first one comes, it's almost too humid in there...and don't worry my family knows where to find me too, watching the incubator like a broody hen lol