Anyone set yesterday or today?

[andisgarden]

Carolyn, I am having trouble with my humidity too. I wonder if it's because I have my thermometer/hygrometer in weaved in from the side. Perhaps the cord is allowing too much in/out. I think I will pull it out and put it in through the hole in top. It says I only have 45% humidity but I have condensation forming all over the top windows?

 

[carolynb]

From what I've read on here the digital ones are tough because you will get a different reading depending on where it is in the incubator. Hopefully someone else will reply that has experience with this. The one I am using is digital but it doesn't have the cord. Do you still have vent plugs in?

 

[andisgarden]

I have removed one. It is so weird I am almost certain that there is more humidity then it is registering.

 

[carolynb]

That's how I felt too. It's very frustrating

I honestly thought it would be easier to incubate.

 

[Akane]

It's fine if they bump the other eggs. It will only make the chicks hatch faster and I often purposely leave 1 or 2 in the bator after I remove the first hatchers so they will knock the eggs around and peep. It makes the hatch go twice as fast. The only time it's a danger is if the humidity is too high because then if a pip gets turned down the excess water collecting in the egg will run into the chicks beak. If your numbers are right then there's no risk. I probably remove mine about every 12hours depending. If I'm having major humidity issues or something and I don't have many eggs so it isn't too crowded I may leave them 2 days before removing any.

You should read the same humidity throughout the bator. It's the temp that will have large differences depending where you put the thermometer especially in a still air. If you need a real quick humidity boost you can toss in a wet paper towel or rag real quick. Did you test your humidity gauge before using it? Most are inaccurate and need to be tested by leaving it in a bag of wet salt for a day and checking what it reads. Otherwise assume it's at least a few and possibly up to 10% off.

 

[carolynb]

Thanks for the info, Akane!! Very helpful!

 

[carolynb]

I guess you're right, Akane...my husband just called me and we now have 5 chicks!!

This is awesome!

 

[Akane]

Just checked and I have a serama egg with it's first pip. Silly thing is at the narrow end though.

I know none of the air sacs were down there so he's likely early and I won't see many pips or any chicks for awhile. Unfortunately I couldn't find my other temp/humidity gauge and had to borrow that one to get my hova set up for some expensive eggs. I get to hatch with no numbers.

 

[carolynb]

Wow...have you done that before? It seems so scary.

 

[andisgarden]

Could you explain to me how to do the salt test. I moved them out, I was afraid they would get burned they were standing on my sponges all the time and the element was touching them at times.