Brinsea -can't get humidity right

[catchap]

It's day 21 today and there's not even 1 pip. We have Batams and other types in our incubator (36 in total). Temperature and humidity has been fine up until lockdown but I still can't get humidity above 58%. Its been full with water so much that it's overflowed slightly, air duct is closed, temp is 37.6. I'm worried they've not hatched because humidity is too low. Please can anyone help? (I have a brinsea octogan advanced)

 

[Hybridchucks]

Sorry if Iam not reading correctly! But have you sprayed the insides of the bator with water! xx sorry!

 

[Pork Pie]

Paper towels, sponges?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Have you ever calibrated the hygrometer? Is there condensation inside the unit? If you have water droplets in the unit then it's well over 70% and likely into the 80's. As for an uncalibrated hygrometer what can you say? It might be fine or it might be off by 12 and you're actually at 70%RH. Who's to say?

If you live in a desert or heat your home with wood and don't use humidifiers then it's possible that the water wells filled are not giving you enough RH. In these dry environment situations a person can use a sponge to increase surface area of water. Saturate a sponge and put it in the incubator to increase surface area of water to raise humidity.

 

[catchap]

Sorry if Iam not reading correctly! But have you sprayed the insides of the bator with water! xx sorry! 

No I haven't tried that, you think I should removed the lid and spray it? I've not put any thing in yet as I refilled it a couple of hrs ago and I'm wary of removing the lid

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Open air duct. Not familiar with Brinsea but for all incubators if the small air holes are capped during incubation you take them out at hatch time. I run open all through incubation so there is no confusion, added thing to do, yadda, yadda, keeps it simple. You want air flow as when chicks are hatching they need to breath. As soon as they internally pip they take their first breath.

 

[catchap]

Have you ever calibrated the hygrometer? Is there condensation inside the unit? If you have water droplets in the unit then it's well over 70% and likely into the 80's. As for an uncalibrated hygrometer what can you say? It might be fine or it might be off by 12 and you're actually at 70%RH. Who's to say?

If you live in a desert or heat your home with wood and don't use humidifiers then it's possible that the water wells filled are not giving you enough RH. In these dry environment situations a person can use a sponge to increase surface area of water. Saturate a sponge and put it in the incubator to increase surface area of water to raise humidity.

thank you. We burn wood so could be that. Not sure about calibration as partner set it up but there is a patch of condensation on the inside

 

[Egghead_Jr]

No I haven't tried that, you think I should removed the lid and spray it? I've not put any thing in yet as I refilled it a couple of hrs ago and I'm wary of removing the lid

I do not think you should spray it. That is a quick fix that evaporates in short time. To fix the low humidity, if it is even low or the hygrometers off, you add surface area of water with something like a wet sponge. Depth of water just makes it not evaporate as quick, it's surface area that gives you higher humidity. Adding surface area of a square wet sponge is a lot.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

thank you. We burn wood so could be that. Not sure about calibration as partner set it up but there is a patch of condensation on the inside

No need to worry then. If you've got condensation in there it's plenty humid. Your hygrometer is off. If your wells are filled with water now you don't need anymore and they will last until hatch is over.

 

[catchap]

Open air duct. Not familiar with Brinsea but for all incubators if the small air holes are capped during incubation you take them out at hatch time. I run open all through incubation so there is no confusion, added thing to do, yadda, yadda, keeps it simple. You want air flow as when chicks are hatching they need to breath. As soon as they internally pip they take their first breath. 

I've not opened yet as was so concerned it would lower humidity. I've put 2 small wet sponges in and opened half way. I'm keeping a close eye on them. Thank you