Adding water to my incubator

[Sjeane]

My incubator is the fully styrofoam rig they sell at tractor supply, i have had 3 hatchings so far in it, and no real complaints, just added a fan to it. Other than that, adding water in its built in tray is extremely hard to do, i end up having to leave 4 middle egg slots empty so i can pour water directly in it. was wondering if you more experienced hatchers could point me in the right direction for a better way to do it.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My incubator is the fully styrofoam rig they sell at tractor supply, i have had 3 hatchings so far in it, and no real complaints, just added a fan to it. Other than that, adding water in its built in tray is extremely hard to do, i end up having to leave 4 middle egg slots empty so i can pour water directly in it. was wondering if you more experienced hatchers could point me in the right direction for a better way to do it.

I run a low humidity incubation during the first 17 days. If my bator stays above 25% I don't add water. If it doesn't stay above 25% dry I wet a spong and put that in the bator above the screen or on the side of the bator if I am using my turner. At lockdown I fill the wells, (this time I added wet sponge clothes under the screen,) and placed my eggs laying on the screen and added a couple wet sponges above where the eggs are, this way when I need more humidity I rewet the sponge instead of adding to the wells. It works splendidly for me.

 

[Sjeane]

i just started reading on dry incubation via another link here on the forum, after thinking about it i think my humidity has been way too high in past hatchings, in the books i was reading they wanted it ~50% for the first 17-18 days, and then ~60-75 for the last. i use an egg turner, what humidity levels do you recommend? i keep reading about 'lockdown' in other posts. is that when you remove the egg turner and place them on the screen for hatching? around what day do you do this? i normally do it late on day 19.

 

[kuchchicks]

I too am doing the dry method right now. Ive been keeping my humidity at 29%-34%. Right now my entire bator is full...39 eggs. I am adding water (when it drops below 25%) through some IV tubing and a syringe. Sometimes you can get this at a pharmacy or medical supply. Otherwise try some aquarium tubing from a pet store. A pharmacy should still be able to give you a needleless syringe used to give babies oral meds. Doing it this way i never have to open my bator because i have my tubing running through the same hole as my turner cord. You can also runn it through a vent hole. Just make sure its not touching your heating element.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

i just started reading on dry incubation via another link here on the forum, after thinking about it i think my humidity has been way too high in past hatchings, in the books i was reading they wanted it ~50% for the first 17-18 days, and then ~60-75 for the last. i use an egg turner, what humidity levels do you recommend? i keep reading about 'lockdown' in other posts. is that when you remove the egg turner and place them on the screen for hatching? around what day do you do this? i normally do it late on day 19.

Yes, the books and instruction manuals quote too high of a humidity level, especially for the styrofoam incubators. I recommend 30-35% and monitoring your air cells to make sure the humidity is accurate. I use this method: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
Lockdown is generally sometime day 18. It's when you stop turning and if you are using a turner remove it. You do your last candling and mark the air cells. You lay your eggs flat on the floor of the bator (unless you are hatching out in cut down cartons.) And you up the humidity to at Least 65%. (I use 75%). Once you go into lockown the goal is to not to have to open the bator and no handling the eggs. If you have to add water or sponges, by all means do so. Opening the incubator is not a death sentence regardless of the taboo of it that scares the newbies. You can, if you are more comfortable, add water via tubing or syringe. Many people do. I just open the darn bator.

I too am doing the dry method right now. Ive been keeping my humidity at 29%-34%. Right now my entire bator is full...39 eggs. I am adding water (when it drops below 25%) through some IV tubing and a syringe. Sometimes you can get this at a pharmacy or medical supply. Otherwise try some aquarium tubing from a pet store. A pharmacy should still be able to give you a needleless syringe used to give babies oral meds. Doing it this way i never have to open my bator because i have my tubing running through the same hole as my turner cord. You can also runn it through a vent hole. Just make sure its not touching your heating element.

You do know that it is perfectly safe to open the bator during incubation to add water, candle and all of that right? It's only at hatch that it is cautioned against.

 

[kuchchicks]

You do know that it is perfectly safe to open the bator during incubation to add water, candle and all of that right? It's only at hatch that it is cautioned against.

Yes. I have opened during the first 17 days for candling, moving thermometer, etc. I just ended up setting up my tubing that way so when I am in lock down I have it there already.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yes. I have opened during the first 17 days for candling, moving thermometer, etc. I just ended up setting up my tubing that way so when I am in lock down I have it there already.

Gotchya.

Just wanted to make sure because some strictly no touch-hands off hatchers have so many newbies scared to open the bator I can see it happening. Chicken hatching:OH the confusion...lol

 

[kuchchicks]

No i appreciate you checking. Its crazy how much i have learned in the last month tho!

 

[Sjeane]

I was considering just unplugging my turner and leaving it in for hatching, had read that removing the turner would drop the egg further fromthe element and change the internal temp of the eggs. but now thinking about it, i dont think that would be an issue since i installed a fan... back on the humidity topic, living in southwest louisiana, w/o any water and my bator completely dry it is running between 30-35%. not sure how i would reduce it lower.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I was considering just unplugging my turner and leaving it in for hatching, had read that removing the turner would drop the egg further fromthe element and change the internal temp of the eggs. but now thinking about it, i dont think that would be an issue since i installed a fan... back on the humidity topic, living in southwest louisiana, w/o any water and my bator completely dry it is running between 30-35%. not sure how i would reduce it lower.

Why would you want to reduce it?