Brinsea Eco 20 humidity/bad hatch??

[MomMommyMamma]

I am using my brand new Brinsea Eco 20 w/ auto turner for the first time. It's day 16. I set 25 eggs and I am down to only 9 eggs w/ 2 looking like they stopped developing. I have only been using the thermometer that is in the incubator and have not measured humidity until today (I know, my bad). I didn't about humidity until today since I was following the exact routine my neighbor uses w/ the same incubator. I did think on that until today that maybe the incubators, though the same brand, may seal differently, etc.
So, now I have a wired Accurite temp & humidity gauge (digital). It's wired though. The wire is thin and I've got it pressed in next to one of the little posts on the front of the incubator (clear plastic post of lid sits down into yellow base).
I've had it in that way now, with both water troughs filled and the vent closed all the way for about 30 min. so far. The humidity has not gone above 33%. I'm not sure what to do. I can stick the entire gauge in the incubator now (thus eliminating any tiny air leak from the wire) because I have so few eggs in there, but this won't work when I have it fully loaded again.
*sigh*...feeling a little down about my sad little hatch and frustrated that I seem to be having humidity issues. Is there a way for me to verify that the gauge is working properly?
Suggestions welcome.

 

[NonnasBabies]

If that is the one from Wal-Mart than the only thing the probe does is register the temp. You need to put the whole thing in there for it to register the humidity!! One way to bump it up is to put hot water in there!!

 

[MomMommyMamma]

It's just like this one .

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
Make sure you read the package becuase the one I have is almost exactly like that one and the probe is only for the temp!!

 

[mmaddie's mom]

wow... scary... i'm on day 3 with my brand new Brinsea 20 eco... no hygrometer either and just the thermometer it came with.

guess i better invest in a hygrometer!

so sorry about your hatch.

 

[MomMommyMamma]

Quote:
Make sure you read the package becuase the one I have is almost exactly like that one and the probe is only for the temp!!

I bet you're right. As soon as I'm finished nursing the baby I'm going to put the whole thing in there.

 

[MomMommyMamma]

Yep. Put the entire unit the incubator, put the lid back on - immediately 45% then jumped to 68%. Opened the vent a little and will continue to monitor.
So, how do you get the unit to fit into an incubator w/ a full load of eggs? Is double sided tape enough or is there a particular brand of double sided tape or ??
Can I just cut that long wire off then since it doesn't do anything for my purposes?

 

[NonnasBabies]

Quote:
mmmm...... not really sure. When my bator was full I would just stick it in there for a little while and check it. If you try to lay it on top it'll just slide around with the turner. As far as the wire and probe goes I just wrapped the wire around the whole thing and tucked the probe in through so it wouldn't come undone. I rarely have it completly full so I just stick it in there facing frontwards where I can see it.

 

[jenlynn4]

yes the wire and probe is only for the temp....you need to put the whole thing in for humidity..JEN

 

[marathonmultiplesmom]

Yep, whole thing in there. I have 2 Brinsea ECOs and I get 100% or close to it every hatch so far. hatch 1 was 100%, hatch 2 was 100% hatch 3 was 89%. I love the machine. But where are you located? Is your vent open or closed? I incubate half way open and on lockdown I switch to 1/3. If you are losing lots of eggs and you determine your humidity is OK then its time you analyze the stock. Are they breeding, fed right, rooster to hen ratio, etc?