ANOTHER humidity LG issue

[coleridgedane]

I have a dozen eggs, 5 days apart. Pulled out the old still air LG for a lockdown hatcher. I cannot bring the humidity above 70. I've set up a custard cup w water & papertowels directly underneath one of those holes & have it taped over. The wells are filled. I've never used this one before...it was given to me. There seems to be a bunch of holes in this thing for circulation.

I've not had a problem w temperature control but am concerned about only 70% for lockdown. Should I cut up some socks? Add more sponges? What? This is invading my dreams & I've become a neurotic mother hen.

Thanks! ---- Priscilla

 

[jwg423]

Others may have better advise as I just finished my first hatch, but I'll tell you what worked for me.

I laid a wet wash cloth over top of the wells and filled the wells full with water.
If my humidity started to drop too low during lockdown, I used a straw and inserted it into the vent hole and used a bottle with a small tip (condiment bottle) to squirt water through the straw into the wells to refill as needed without opening the incubator up.

 

[debs_flock]

Well, I'm new too, just finished my first hatch, but during lockdown I shot for 65-70% humidity. I had an 85%+ hatch rate, so I'd think you were fine.

And BTW, lovely Dane for your avatar. I have a harle. (Tried to type the B word, but the auto word patrol changed it to harle grump and it just didn't sound the same. LOL

Deb

 

[quintinp]

70% Is perfectly fine, I would say you have the humidity very high as compared to most others with the Little Giant. Chinese-O-bator.

 

[The Chickeneer]

Wow 70%? Thats high enough, or more than enough for some people lol

. As long as its around 60% or higher, ur good. Dont worry to much, and good hatchings!

 

[rancher hicks]

70% Is too high. If I have not e-mailed you a copy of the Practical Poultry article I give out pm me your e-mail and I'll send it on. Also to anyone else who would like to read it.


I wish you hatching success,

Rancher

 

[nurse_turtle]

At lockdown, I shoot for 50-60%. At 70%, your humidity is going to go too high when they start hatching.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
70% is fine for lockdown. I used to incubate at around 50% humidity but have found if I keep my humidity down to around 35% (dry hatch) during incubation (day 1 through 18) and keep it around 75% during lockdown (the last 3 days) I get much better hatches, 95% to 100%. Just my opinion.. I put paper towels under the wire and squirt water thought a vent hole onto the paper towels if I need to bring it up. I also put mason jars in the corners so I can squirt water in them without opening the top. Also the humidity and temperature will change but don't touch that dial. It will settle out. It takes hours for the internal temperature of the eggs to change.

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
I would say it might be unnecessarily high, but not in a harmful way. If humidity has been ideal up to now in the other icubator and the eggs have lost enough moisture, they should be absolutely fine no matter how high the lockdown humidity is. Personally, I shoot for 75%+ for my own lockdowns, although I know some people prefer to keep it a lot lower.

What I AM concerned about though is this: There should be NO problem at all getting humidity up in a still air bator - most folk have the opposite trouble and find it difficult to keep humidity low enough for incubation - so when someone says they can't get it above 70%, I'd be wondering whether their hygrometer is accurate. If the hygrometer hasn't been calibrated, you should do it now. I suspect the humidity in that hatcher might actually be higher than you think...

 

[coleridgedane]

Thanks! I certainly did calibrate. I'm a detail-obsessive woman. I have 2 very nice digital temp/hygros & have never had problems.

I find I must be behind the eight ball as I've read so many times about lockdown needing to be 85%. I understood this was needed inorder to make the eggs easier to pip. That's why I'm on this board, for you experienced folks to help me out.

So what's the average temp/hum y'all have had in a lockdown still-air situation with the best hatch%?

--- Priscilla