Day 28 with ducks - humidity problems ** PIP ** !!!!!!

[Crazy4Chicks]

Well I sit here on day 28 with my 3 duck eggs and I can not get the darn humidity up high enough I have all 3 chambers on the bottom filled, I have a dish with a rolled up washcloth in there - also soaked and the humidity is still reading around 50% - I dont think my Accurite is reading right at all - but I cant run out and get a new now - will my babies still hatch? am I going to lose them after coming this far with them? the temps have been reading kinda low lately since we have had colder mornings the past few days - but normally the temps are staying in the 90's range so I am sure that will delay them in hatching --

what can I do - if anything???



Julie

 

[helmstead]

If your room is arid, try putting a humidifier/vaporizer in near the incubator to raise the relative humitity. That should help.

The low temps might be a bigger problem, actually. Try covering the incubator with a towel/blanket overnight to help it hold heat.

 

[speckledhen]

This may be a dumb question, but is your AcuRite inside your bator? That's the only way it reads humidity, for the entire unit to be inside because the probe only reads temp.

 

[JackieK318]

Quote:
Are you serious?! I have my probe inside the bator and it's only reading 50 or so humidity, but there is mild condensation on the window.

 

[MissPrissy]

The probe does not read humidity. It is the accurite BODY that reads humidity. If you have condensation you have at least 90% humidity in the bator.

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

If you have condensation on the glass, your humidity is very high, too high. Condensation shouldn't occur until hatching actually happens. Open a vent and let a little out. When you raise your humidity that high, it will drop your temp in you bator as well...

 

[speckledhen]

I rarely ever get condensation on my bator windows, even at hatch time. The entire AcuRite unit MUST be inside the bator to read humidity. The probe only reads temp, period. If your AcuRite is outside the bator, it is reading your ROOM humidity.

 

[Crazy4Chicks]

The Accurite body is in the bator resting on the bottom near the eggs- the probe end is inside the water wiggler.

I have read enough post to know that the Accurite goes inside - I did want to make that mistake

I added another rolled up towel that I let soak in water and placed that in there and that only raised the humidity to 60%. I am really getting worried about these little guys not being able to hatch - the lowest the temps have read were in the upper 80's but I managed to get it to rise pretty quickly.

It is only Day 28 today -how long before I know there is a problem? I know to give them a few extra days because they need time - but was just wondering how much time is enough before you know they might not hatch?

I tihnk the next time I incubate eggs I will be doing a few things different to help temps hold true better, I also plan on buying a second Accurite - for backup - readings


Julie

 

[MissPrissy]

What kind of duck eggs are they?

Is the water warm? It takes longer to become humid if it's not.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, Julie, I had to ask...it's one of the most common mistakes with that unit, even though I thought you had hatched enough to know. But never assume anything, right? They can be off, but I've never had the hygrometer part of one off more than maybe 5% or so in the AcuRite, at least so far. Hope it goes well.

Julie, living in NM must give you an extra challenge with humidity, I admit!