BYC Café

[ronott1]

I am glad that you asked here. I see some very complicated answers about stuff like this. It does not have to be hard or hard to understand.

Cap had very good advice. Make sure that the temperature and humidity are correct.

Temps too low is the first most common cause
Temps to high is the second most common cause
Humidity too low or too high is the third most common cause.

Working on those in order will get good hatch rates. Usually between 75% and up

 

[tjo804]

I am calibrating a secondary hygrometer as we type. I will check tomorrow.

I thought I was getting numb about the "lost eggs" but I think now that tools are picked up and I only have the 5 emergency friends that I put in incubator the 30th I am feeling a bit depressed and not getting my hopes up. It's like stiring FF. Must be done couple times a day. I will keep checking humidity temps and put in the secondary gauge but I have yet to candle this lot.

Who has a joke or story?

 

[ronott1]

I am calibrating a secondary hygrometer as we type. I will check tomorrow.

I thought I was getting numb about the "lost eggs" but I think now that tools are picked up and I only have the 5 emergency friends that I put in incubator the 30th I am feeling a bit depressed and not getting my hopes up. It's like stiring FF. Must be done couple times a day. I will keep checking humidity temps and put in the secondary gauge but I have yet to candle this lot.

Who has a joke or story?

What thermometer do you have?

 

[tjo804]

This one I am calibrating now for humidity. It was reading right on with the incubator one.
The one on the incubator and I put another (DH digital one in for now)
I was concerned about the AC unit running but the air cells all looked good. The humidity has not stayed at even levels but I have been trying to keep it close to 40% over night it has been getting to 26%so I add a drop of water to sponge in the morning and around 3 pm it spikes to around 53% so I take the sponge out and put it back before I go to bed. I wonder if I should move the incubator to the chicken room and close the ac vent a bit? The door closes. Right now it is in an open space dining room.

 

[ronott1]

View attachment 1492935 This one I am calibrating now for humidity. It was reading right on with the incubator one.
The one on the incubator and I put another (DH digital one in for now)
I was concerned about the AC unit running but the air cells all looked good. The humidity has not stayed at even levels but I have been trying to keep it close to 40% over night it has been getting to 26%so I add a drop of water to sponge in the morning and around 3 pm it spikes to around 53% so I take the sponge out and put it back before I go to bed. I wonder if I should move the incubator to the chicken room and close the ac vent a bit? The door closes. Right now it is in an open space dining room.

Yes! The AC will mess up the temperatures and humidity.

The Brinsea spot check is about the best thermometer you can get. It is not very expensive either.

http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx

 

[tjo804]

I am going to send a link to DH and all of my off spring! I think it will make a perfect birthday gift for someone they love

Thanks @ronott1 my smile is back!

 

[ronott1]

I am going to send a link to DH and all of my off spring! I think it will make a perfect birthday gift for someone they love

Thanks @ronott1 my smile is back!

Quite a few BYC members here have gotten the spot check and started having good hatches. It is a very good tool. That and getting the incubator in a better place. Most incubators cannot adjust fast enough when there are fast temp changes. That is enough to throw off the average temp in the incubator during the first 18 days.

 

[tjo804]

I am going to move it right now to chicken room and see how it goes in the morning

 

[Alaskan]

I am going to move it right now to chicken room and see how it goes in the morning

Do you have a thermometer that measures min. and max readings?

Sometimes a room can have wild swings.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sending good hatching vibes your way