Dry hatch humidity issue

[CountryCourtney]

I live in FL and wanted to try a dry hatch this time bc of humidity issues. I’m running two incubators, a nurtureright360 at 30% humidity, no water and then Little Giants incubator with no water at 50% humidity. It’s day two and they’ve both been staying pretty steady at those numbers. should I just try to maintain those humidity numbers for a dry hatch? I wonder why the 20% difference? I put a dehumidifier in the room but there is little to know difference in the humidity levels. Thank you

 

[007Sean]

Are you using a independent, calibrated hygrometer? Never trust an incubators OEM humidity sensor.
The Nuture Right 360, does hold humidity and temperature better than the LG.
You also need an independent calibrated thermometer(s). Temperature readings of OEM sensors are notoriously off on the cheaper incubators.

 

[CountryCourtney]

Are you using a independent, calibrated hygrometer? Never trust an incubators OEM humidity sensor.
The Nuture Right 360, does hold humidity and temperature better than the LG.
You also need an independent calibrated thermometer(s). Temperature readings of OEM sensors are notoriously off on the cheaper incubators.

No I don’t, but I will definitely get two tomorrow. But if the little giants humidity IS correct at 50% is it okay to do a dry hatch with that humidity level? Also, all the air vents are completely open on both incubators, is that okay to do as well?

 

[007Sean]

No I don’t, but I will definitely get two tomorrow. But if the little giants humidity IS correct at 50% is it okay to do a dry hatch with that humidity level? Also, all the air vents are completely open on both incubators, is that okay to do as well?

You can close off the vents to regulate the humidity. Turn the cap upside down and create a gap to allow air in the bator. Some peeps simple throw the vent caps away on the LG bators and run it wide open throughout the incubation period. When I incubate with my NR 360, I usually close the vent to about half, during incubation, and open it fully the last 3 or 4 days of the incubation period. Your conditions will determine how much you open or close the vent.
LG bators are notorious for constantly having to 'tinker with' to operate correctly. Is yours a 'still air' or 'forced air'?
50% Rh is a little high for chicken eggs, usually you would want around 30 to 35% for chicken eggs.

 

[CountryCourtney]

You can close off the vents to regulate the humidity. Turn the cap upside down and create a gap to allow air in the bator. Some peeps simple throw the vent caps away on the LG bators and run it wide open throughout the incubation period. When I incubate with my NR 360, I usually close the vent to about half, during incubation, and open it fully the last 3 or 4 days of the incubation period. Your conditions will determine how much you open or close the vent.
LG bators are notorious for constantly having to 'tinker with' to operate correctly. Is yours a 'still air' or 'forced air'?
50% Rh is a little high for chicken eggs, usually you would want around 30 to 35% for chicken eggs.

It’s still-air. I’m going get a hygrometer today to make sure my reading is right and go from there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No I don’t, but I will definitely get two tomorrow.

Calibration and accurate readings are important. I don't trust the expensive ones any more than the cheap ones. This sounds like an inaccurate reading issue to me.

But if the little giants humidity IS correct at 50% is it okay to do a dry hatch with that humidity level?

A couple of things here. Which dry hatch method are you using? To some dry hatch means you don't add any water or moisture. Other methods call for a low moisture level but you are allowed to adjust the humidity. You can certainly incubate at that moisture level and call it anything you want. Whether that would meet your definition of dry hatch I'm not sure. Some people do incubate at 50% and do pretty good. Others do better when it is lower.

I you are running it with no water, what else can you do? How can you get it lower?

Also, all the air vents are completely open on both incubators, is that okay to do as well?

The eggs don't care if those vents are open or closed. They care about temperature, moisture, turning, air quality, things like that. I run mine wide open all the time. Closing them should raise the humidity and can hurt air quality late in incubation. Early in incubation air quality doesn't matter that much.

The eggs don't need fresh air early in incubation but as the embryos develop they breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. The egg shell is porous so they can exchange good air for bad. The later in incubation the more oxygen they need and the more carbon dioxide they need to get rid of. The incubation trouble shooting guides list this as a possible cause of the chicks dying just before, during, or just after hatch.

Opening or closing the vents change the humidity on my incubator. I leave mine open the entire time so there is one less factor I have to deal with when I go into lockdown and rise the humidity.

 

[CountryCourtney]

You can close off the vents to regulate the humidity. Turn the cap upside down and create a gap to allow air in the bator. Some peeps simple throw the vent caps away on the LG bators and run it wide open throughout the incubation period. When I incubate with my NR 360, I usually close the vent to about half, during incubation, and open it fully the last 3 or 4 days of the incubation period. Your conditions will determine how much you open or close the vent.
LG bators are notorious for constantly having to 'tinker with' to operate correctly. Is yours a 'still air' or 'forced air'?
50% Rh is a little high for chicken eggs, usually you would want around 30 to 35% for chicken eggs.

It’s still-air. I’m going get a hygrometer today to make sure my reading I’d right

No I don’t, but I will definitely get two tomorrow. But if the little giants humidity IS correct at 50% is it okay to do a dry hatch with that humidity level? Also, all the air vents are completely open on both incubators, is that okay to do as well?

 

[CountryCourtney]

Calibration and accurate readings are important. I don't trust the expensive ones any more than the cheap ones. This sounds like an inaccurate reading issue to me.


A couple of things here. Which dry hatch method are you using? To some dry hatch means you don't add any water or moisture. Other methods call for a low moisture level but you are allowed to adjust the humidity. You can certainly incubate at that moisture level and call it anything you want. Whether that would meet your definition of dry hatch I'm not sure. Some people do incubate at 50% and do pretty good. Others do better when it is lower.

I you are running it with no water, what else can you do? How can you get it lower?


The eggs don't care if those vents are open or closed. They care about temperature, moisture, turning, air quality, things like that. I run mine wide open all the time. Closing them should raise the humidity and can hurt air quality late in incubation. Early in incubation air quality doesn't matter that much.

The eggs don't need fresh air early in incubation but as the embryos develop they breathe in oxygen and breathe out carbon dioxide. The egg shell is porous so they can exchange good air for bad. The later in incubation the more oxygen they need and the more carbon dioxide they need to get rid of. The incubation trouble shooting guides list this as a possible cause of the chicks dying just before, during, or just after hatch.

Opening or closing the vents change the humidity on my incubator. I leave mine open the entire time so there is one less factor I have to deal with when I go into lockdown and rise the humidity.

So y’all were right. The Little Giant incubator humidity reading is wrong! It’s reading at 29%. So by dry hatch I mean not adding any water at all till the last three days. All vents are open on both incubators. Is this okay you think??? Thanks for the info about the vents I wasn’t sure air bothered the eggs.

 

[CountryCourtney]

So y’all were right. The Little Giant incubator humidity reading is wrong! It’s reading at 29%. So by dry hatch I mean not adding any water at all till the last three days. All vents are open on both incubators. Is this okay you think??? Thanks for the info about the vents I wasn’t sure air bothered the eggs.

I meant to say it WAS wrong, the accurate reading is 29% not 50%

 

[K0k0shka]

50% isn't really a dry hatch by any definition... It's kinda high actually, for chicken eggs. Good thing it was an error and not the actual humidity, as raising humidity is a lot easier than lowering it.

LG sucks. Don't trust any of its readings. Still air LG sucks even more! I'd recommend getting a fan for it - even a small handheld fan is better than nothing. Still air LG is notorious for having hot spots and cold spots, so get several calibrated thermometers and place them in different parts of the incubator, at egg level, so you have a better idea of what's going on inside. 30% humidity is perfect, so if you can maintain that until lockdown without adding water, that's great. I've used a still air LG a few times, and had to make a lot of adjustments (including adding a fan). I got it to work and I had good hatches, but it was VERY frustrating.