CAN THEY GET HURT!?

[kyeschicks]

Mine temperature has been changing lately. From 1-10 days temperature was 102.4-102.7 and the humidity 27%-35% and from 10-15 days has been 99.9-100.3 and the humidity 27%-35% ansd today (16th day) changed to 99-100.2 and the humidity RAISE A LOT 45% would that KILL THEM????????

 

[Akane]

No. I incubate mine at 45%. Some people incubate up to 55%. I actually found under 40% to result in too much moisture loss and too large of air sacs so my chicks had trouble hatching. As for temp people have had power outages result in 70-90F for a few hours without issue and eggs will continue to incubate down to 96F. They just do so much slower. 99-100F is what most keep their forced air and you should try to keep the temp from going much over 102. At 103 it starts to become too hot and they could die if incubated too long at that temp. Too low of temps is way better than too high since too low usually just delays hatching while too high can quickly kill.

 

[kyeschicks]

I have a question. When my chicks hatch wont the die because the temperature on the bator is too high? mine usually stays at 101.5 Is that good for them? SInce I have school the days the hatch and nobody is going to be home will they resist that? like 8 hrs? or maybe 7hrs?

 

[TheNewMrsEvans]

if it's still air that's fine...think they will be wet and need to stay warm to dry off

You are supposed to leave them all in there until the last egg has hatched. Don't mess with the incubator or the slow pokes could get hurt by the temp change from the open incubator...and remember to increase the humidity and stop turning

 

[Akane]

A chicken's body temp is over 100. The chicks not only won't die but they need to be that warm to start with. Until they dry and sometimes for a little while after they will be cold in less than 100F. Then they need to be kept at 95F for the next week. When I had to move some quickly instead of letting them dry in the incubator the thermometer in my brooder actually read 104F before they stopped shivering.

 

[luvchikies]

Have another question(sorry for many questions

) this is about the humidity. Im going to raise the humidity today at 12AM because at 10PM 18th starts. So I raise the humidity at 60%-65% then when im gone to school the humidity because water will evaporize but when I come back from school if the humidity is at 55% will they die? and how im I going to raise it? can I just drop some water from the vent holes to raise the humidity because I can't open the bator because the humidity will go more down and may kill the chicks.So I know when i come back from school humidity will be lower but how can i prevent that from going down? each day i come from school I will add a little water even if it is at 60% but just in case so the humidity will stay at 60% the whole last 3 days. So my question....If people say not to open the bator because humidity escapes but you know that water evaporizes and humidity will go down so will they die because just water evaporizes??? I know i don't know how to explain it but I hope you understand me

 

[kyeschicks]

I have the same question

 

[Akane]

You can open the incubator on day 18 to up the humidity. You just don't open it after you set the eggs for hatching and that includes upping the humidity. Some people take their eggs completely out of the incubator and move them to a dedicated hatcher on day 18. I usually candle, add water to raise humidity, and sometimes put them in a carton to hatch from or turn them for the last time.

You shouldn't have to add water daily. Most bators have more than one section for water. I know hova bator instructions are to add water to only the middle section then add water to both the large sections for chickens and also to the little side sections for waterfowl. Usually that water lasts the entire time until hatching is done and I don't have to add more unless I failed to add enough in the first place. In fact if I add too much I can have my humidity up past 80% the whole time. Which is bad. You should have a humidity gauge. Add water until you get a high enough humidity and then leave it. If your climate is dry and the water really does evaporate quickly or you underestimate and don't put in enough water the first time you can use a syringe and airline tubing (from the aquarium section of any pet store or walmart) or a straw to add water through the vent holes without opening the incubator. Just don't drop it directly on the eggs. If you add too much water and get the humidity too high you can pull a vent plug.

 

[Irajoe]

I incubated the eggs at 35% humidity and raised to 60% for hatching...with fluctuations to mid-50's...they're hatching great.

I have an LG 9200 still air and used the vent holes to occasionally soak a couple of sponges I have on the wire rack. I just placed the sponges in the back corners and the vent holes matched up perfectly.

Best of luck with the hatch!