Alaska hatchers..How is everyone doing? Baby pics !!!!!!

[Ban seabhag]

8 BCMs out and the last has pipped

I really can't believe how well they have done. Of 10 eggs sent (from Oregon), 9 made it to lockdown and all 9 might make it through hatch.

 

[greyartist]

This my first time and it is the 21st day, or will be at 3pm. Nothing is happening. I'm worried. 16 eggs.

 

[PandoraTaylor]

congratulations Ban seabhag, hope to see pics soon!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Quote:
Just one...

 

[Ban seabhag]

All 9 BGMs in the brooder, the BLRW that pipped is out of her shell.

So awesome. I will get my dinosaur camera working today.

Quote:
Give them time.. My Seramas, which are supposed to take 19 days, never showed before the 22 day. Temps can make them a little late or early and they don't have a calendar in there! Sending good vibes your way!

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I am alittle disgusted this morning....
I placed my three hydrometers into the bag last night, as I was thinking of setting another batch of eggs this morning........
Not a one is accurite!
since I have no way of changing, calibrating or fixing them, I am disappointed to say the least.
#1 is reading 55/75
#2 is reading 65/75
#3 is reading 70/75

I just don't understand this.......#3 was $56.00 without shipping!

so I guess I will have to get the calculator out, I need to find that post again, about the correct way to figure it.

Burbs wrote:
*Kosher salt is better because it is pure NaCl. Table salt has additives such as iodine and anticaking chemicals.
Mine was off by 10 when calibrating with salt. I don't think it is that uncommon with the $20 digitals.
When calculating at different humidity percentages keep in mind that it is not a direct addition. For example, mine read 65% when it should have read 75%. Thats a factor of 115% that needs to be added to the 65% reading. So if I am reading 35% on my meter the actaul is 40.25% (35 X 1.15 correction factor).
From wikipedia:
"The critical relative humidity (CRH) of a salt is defined as the relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere (at a certain temperature) at which the material begins to absorb moisture from the atmosphere and below which it will not absorb atmospheric moisture.
When the humidity of the atmosphere is equal to (or is greater than) the critical relative humidity

so that means that my entire hatch was at risk of dehydrating from day 1. Dang it!

I know they weren't off when I started......so what changed in just one hatching? Anyone have ideas on this???

Ok according to the above method this should be right......
#1 is reading 55/75 = x 1.36 (to get accurite)
#2 is reading 65/75 = x 1.15 (to get accurite)
#3 is reading 70/75 = x 1.07 (to get accurite)​

 

[Ban seabhag]

Gosh I don't know. Someone on BYC suggested - strongly - recalibrating them every other time you use them at the least. That sounds like every time is best but I haven't done that so I better start. So far things have been okay. Isn't the salt water test the method they use? And then you add or subtract the difference in the incubator? You wouldn't think a new one would be that out of whack. especially at the price.

That is very aggravating.

I can see me trying to use the formula. This is a guaranteed scenario for disaster with me.

I am absolutely certain to mess it up.

 

[hollyandty]

Ban seabhag you are #1 chick hatcher

 

[Ban seabhag]

Thank you Holly - but I really am not! This was sooo lucky..

 

[PandoraTaylor]

I did calibrate them before the hatch and now after as I wanted to set more eggs....
before the last hatch they read within 1% of each other. That is why I am questioning it so much, and so disappointed!

ETA:
I also don't use table salt, I used the Kosher Salt for my tests.
The hygrometers are left in a double zip lock bag 12 hours before I even look at them.

here is the Page I copied to test mine:

How to Calibrate a Hygrometer
by Lianne McLeod, DVM
for About.com
*******To calibrate a hygrometer you will need:
• 1/2 cup table salt
• approximately 1/4 cup water
• coffee cup
• hygrometer
• large re-sealable freezer bag
1. Place 1/2 cup of salt in the coffee cup, and add the water. Stir for a bit to totally saturate the salt (the salt won't dissolve, it will be more like really wet sand).
2. Place the salt/water mix in a re-sealable plastic bag, along with the hygrometer, and seal the bag. Note: make sure none of the salt/water mix comes in direct contact with the hygrometer.
3. Set this bag aside at room temperature for 8-12 hours, in a location where the temperature is fairly constant.
4. After 8-12 hours, check the reading of the hygrometer. It is best to read it while still in the bag.
The relative humidity in the sealed bag with the salt/water mix should be 75 percent (mine read about 72 percent).
5. For adjustable hygrometers, adjust to read 75 percent. You will have to do this very quickly, or remember how much you need to adjust the setting (e.g. mine read 72 percent rather than 75 percent, so I would need to adjust the dial up 3 percentage points).
If yours is not adjustable (like mine), simply make a note of how "off" your hygrometer reads. If it reads below 75 percent, you will need to add the difference to your actual readings. If your hygrometer read above 75 percent on the calibration, you will need to subtract the difference from your actual reading.
In my example: after sitting in the bag, my hygrometer read 72 percent, when it should have read 75 percent -- a difference of 3 percent. I now add 3 percent to the readings I take on the hygrometer (e.g. in a tank) to get the actual relative humidity.
Remember: always give a hygrometer about 2 hours to stabilize before taking a reading, as changes in the relative humidity may take a while to register accurately on a hygrometer.
CORRECTION:

Burbs (on byc) wrote:
*Kosher salt is better because it is pure NaCl. Table salt has additives such as iodine and anticaking chemicals.
Mine was off by 10 when calibrating with salt. I don't think it is that uncommon with the $20 digitals.
When calculating at different humidity percentages keep in mind that it is not a direct addition. For example, mine read 65% when it should have read 75%. Thats a factor of 115% that needs to be added to the 65% reading. So if I am reading 35% on my meter the actaul is 40.25% (35 X 1.15 correction factor).
From wikipedia:
"The critical relative humidity (CRH) of a salt is defined as the relative humidity of the surrounding atmosphere (at a certain temperature) at which the material begins to absorb moisture from the atmosphere and below which it will not absorb atmospheric moisture.
When the humidity of the atmosphere is equal to (or is greater than) the critical relative humidity of a sample of salt, the sample will take up water until all of the salt is dissolved to yield a saturated solution. All water-soluble salts and mixtures have characteristic critical humidities; it is a unique material property.
replied:
Burbs, thanks for posting that. That could make a BIG difference in the original post. Mine was 70% rather than 75% so I was just quickly adding 5% as suggested in my post above, i.e., right now my hygrometer is reading 43% or 43+5=48% the old way. However, doing it correctly 75/70= 1.07 , so 43 x 1.07 = 46.01% NOT 48%. That incorrect difference of 2% could make an important difference when incubating eggs and deciding when/whether or not to add water.
Also, when comparing my hygrometer's percentage to another that's known to be 100% correct, I could not see mine at 43% and the correct one at 46% and simply figure 3% difference at every percentage change, e.g., if mine only read 12% humidity, 12 x 1.07 = 12.84% not 15%. Thanks to you, I am going to keep a calculator next to my incubator and hygrometer from now on.