Anyone not use a hydrometer when hatching?

[hd_darcy]

I'm hatching in a Brinsea Octagon Eco 20 and I don't have a hydrometer. Well, I have a wal-mart one, but I don't trust it. At all. Does anyone hatch regularly or w/ success by not using a hydrometer at all, and just keeping one water well filled up like it's recommended in the manual (w/ two being filled up during lockdown)? TIA!

 

[Jocasta]

Quote:
I did use a hygrometer but one channel filled was perfect during incubation. I did find that at lockdown I had to put a cloth in as well as filling both channels with water though to get my humidity up to 70% (ideal for turkeys).

Have you considered the weighing egg method to track humidity?

 

[Jocasta]

Another thought, have you considered calibrating your hygrometer? If you place it in a sealed container along with a cup of 2/3 salt to 1/3 water stirred together for 8-12 hrs, at the end it should read 75%. If it's adjustable, you can adjust it to read 75% so you know it's correct - if not, you just remember how much it's out by

 

[SadieSue]

I also have the Brinsea Octo 20, but did not have any way to measure humidity. By the time I realized I should have one I was already in lock down, so I had to trust that the instructions that came with my incubator would have to suffice. Today is day 21 and my chicks began hatching 24 hours ago. I have 6 out of 9 hatched so far. I only filled one water well up until the day we went into lock down, at which point I filled both wells to the top with warm water. I have heard that others supplement the humidity in different ways, but I didn't know that in advance. So far, so good, but I will purchase a hygrometer for the next hatch just for my own peace of mind.

This was my first hatch. I'm pretty happy that my Brinsea worked well even for a newbie like myself.

 

[Jocasta]

Quote:
I told you it'd be fine

Congrats on your little chickies

 

[BackyardMix]

You can get a great one for six bucks at Petco. I use a hygrometer.

 

[hd_darcy]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences. As for calibrating goes, can you do that with digitial ones? The one I have is a digital one. Thanks again

 

[hd_darcy]

Wait, I found an awesome thread, and doy.. I remember calibrating it before (last year). Will try it again! Thank you everyone!

 

[1muttsfan]

Some hygrometers can be calibrated, others can't. If they can't, just make a note of how far off it is and add or subject that from your reading.

I am flying without a hygrometer right now, as the one I had went bad on day 4-ish and I am waiting on the one I ordered on amazon. I hate digital units, they are sooo unreliable.

 

[hd_darcy]

The inconsistencies between hydrometers and thermometers can make anyone want to pull their hair out! I calibrated it, and one said only 55% this morning, the other said 67%. My question is how do you know if it is consistently that much off? If it's 'junk', it could vary whatever, and not be correct by "adjusting" it in your head yourself.

Oh well...