cant get humidity regulated

[dddCT]

Hi I need help We were up until 4 am trying to regulated the temp in our incubator and that has finally regulated but I cant get the humidity above 35%. I'm new this my first hatching and I'm feeling like these guys are doomed. Help

 

[Farmer Kitty]

What day are you on? What kind of eggs? What kind of bator?

 

[dddCT]

today is day 2 we have 9 Rhode Island Reds. I just opened the incubator to add more water. I know that that is always a risk to open the incubator but I didnt know what to do. I only have one vent plug in. Should put it back in or remove the other one and have both out. Is this hatch going to be OK?

 

[swtangel321]

35 sounds ok, Mine was 30-40 day 1-18 and then up to 50-60 day 18-21, if you put a wet sponge in there it will up it, but i woulnd't up it to much more, I like to stay on the lower side so the chicks dont drown in there egg !!! what kind of incubator is it ??

 

[dddCT]

I'm not sure the incubator type Its a styrophone one my husband brought home from the feed store with the egg turner.

 

[rachel]

Try adding water through the vent holes using a straw and a needle-less syringe or flask funnel. If you don't have one, just suck up water into a bendy straw and point it through the vent-hole at the troughs you are trying to fill. This way you aren't losing the humidity opening the incubator.

 

[dddCT]

Since I had to open the incubator to add water did I do any harm to the chicks. It's only day 2

 

[ericbrbr]

I wouldnt stress so much about opening the bator. I have a large cabinet style and I have to open it to candle, sometime I may have 240 eggs or so. I just pull them out one tray at a time and candle them and put them back. I know it will drop your temp a little and your humidity but everything will go back if all is set right. I know some act like its a sin. I must say I open mine as I need. I have an auto humidity pail now, but when I didnt I added water every day or so and still had great success. You have to understand that no way does the hen stay on the eggs every minute. Also it takes alot longer to drop the temp inside the egg than it does inside the bator. As for bringing up the humidity, I dont know what bator you have or how much room you got, I had trouble with mine in the beginning, I added a sponge from wal-mart it helped a little but the sponge was fake and didnt absorb well. The sponges I have now came with my humidity pail and you can stand them up in the water and the water will travel all the way through. This is what brings the humidity up, the area of water not the ammount. You can try addding a small towel if your tight on room or cutting a good sponge. Be careful not to do too much or it will climb extremely high.

 

[Solsken Farm]

No, they should be fine. Do a search for dry incubation. Many prefer this.

It would be helpful to find out the model of the incubator as it could be a still air, which would require a slightly higher temperature.

Get yourself a good thermometer and hygrometer (measures humidity as well). Walmart has them. I sprang for a more expensive one there and it helped alot during my first hatch.

Good luck! And keep posting your questions!

 

[swtangel321]

no you did no harm, a broody hen gets off her eggs once a day !!!! check this out https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html


You only need to worrie about hurting them when you keep opening on days 18-21 when they need the extra humitidy