We have our first incubator( fiem smart automatic), and are currently waiting for 5 chinese quail eggs to hatch one of these days. It is now on lockdown, and i added extra water in de 4 water basins in the bottom, but the humidity won't go up any higher then 55/60%, while it needs to be 70. What could be the reason for this? Before it went on lockdown i already placed in another cup of water but that only helped for 5% procent. Could someone give me some advice maybe? Very much appreciated!
55-60% should be fine for lockdown.... as they pip the humidity will go up so you don't want it too high to begin with! What day are you on? Good luck!
Also, have you calibrated your hygrometer? If the readings are really true, and you still want to get the humidity up, a moist sponge inside the incubator could help.
I’m not familiar with that model. Mine looks a lot different but the principles are the same. The way you control humidity is surface area of the water. The depth does not matter, just the surface area the water can evaporate from. Adding another container is a step in the right direction. You did see an increase when you did that. Can you add more containers of water, maybe in a larger surface area container? Another trick is to put a sponge, paper towel, or piece of cloth where part of it is in the container of water and part of it is outside that container. The water will wick into the sponge, paper, or cloth and give you more surface area for evaporation. Something to check, is the lid on tightly? The cord for the turner was not in the channel properly on mine one time and I could not get the humidity up where it should have been. When I put the lid on correctly the humidity behaved. Things like that can make a difference.
I'm not 100% sure what day the eggs are on, because the eggs came from our quail who had been sitting on them over over a week, but she had too many eggs she couldn't sit on all of them, and out of the 4/5 times she has sat on a nest( about 20 eggs together) only one baby quail survived, so i hope this way i can save some of her baby's. I candled 2 of them just now for the last time, and they were both moving, about 3/4 of the egg( not counting air sack) was black and the rest still veins, so they still need a couple of days i think. I put it on now lockdown officially, the humidity is now 62/63%. I made sure the lid is on correctly so that's not the problem, i hope they will be able to hatch.