Dry Incubation Humidity Levels

[dreamer5577]

I have searched and couldn't find a straight answer.

I currently have 3 hydrometers and 4 thermometers in the incubator at day 5 in a forced air environment. All have been calibrated and when not in the incubator, the hydrometers all read the same (a miracle!) For the past three days though the hydrometers are reading differently! Two of them (identical) are reading 16% and the other is reading 40%. I IDEALLY want to keep it at 35% for dry incubation. THEN when I take them back out to the room...they read the same again. How do I know which to believe?


If you do dry incubation, what percentage do you keep it for the first 18 days?

Also, what advice do you have for me here with the wacky hydrometers!?

 

[DIYCHRIS]

Are they far apart that could be the problem one at the top middle and floor may read differently but I'm a novice so just an idea. also they probably wouldn't read the same if one was closer to the heating element. If they are stick them all together where the eggs are and see what happens

 

[dreamer5577]

Would that be true even for a forced air?

 

[DIYCHRIS]

Would that be true even for a forced air?

I've just started out myself and I'm using forced air and get the same readings throughout as the air is circulated and any difference is very small because the air is constantly circulated but that's why I went with forced air because warm air rises so it would be warmer near the heating element and the top of the incubator but if its constantly circulated it is forced around the incubator. I think its the same for humidity but you may get higher readings at floor level and lower readings near the heating element if its not forced if I'm right as moist air would sink to the floor of the incubator as its heavier than dry air and the heat would dry the air at the heat source. I built my own and just added an old PC fan and rigged it to an old mobile phone charger

 

[dreamer5577]

Thanks. They read differently even when they're all together. I have just been settling for an inbetween humidity level.. While two day 16 and the other 40... I keep the two at 20 and let the other one do whatever. I feel like if two are reading the same and the other isn't, the other has to be the problem... Right?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

How did you calibrate your hygrometers? Are the varied readings after being in the incubator for several hours?

I run 30-35% first 18 days then 65%. I salt test my hygrometer before the start of each hatching season. This spring it's only the one batch I'm 11 days into.

 

[DIYCHRIS]

Thanks. They read differently even when they're all together. I have just been settling for an inbetween humidity level.. While two day 16 and the other 40... I keep the two at 20 and let the other one do whatever. I feel like if two are reading the same and the other isn't, the other has to be the problem... Right?

I wouldn't want to tell you the wrong thing but Id go with the two reading the same. I'm using a digital one and one with a dial on that's used for vivarium's and the always read about the same but if I had 3 and one was reading different from the other two id go with the two

 

[dreamer5577]

How did you calibrate your hygrometers? Are the varied readings after being in the incubator for several hours?

I run 30-35% first 18 days then 65%. I salt test my hygrometer before the start of each hatching season. This spring it's only the one batch I'm 11 days into.

I also did the salt test. Everything thing was fine, everything read the same. I placed them all in the incubator and they were fine for about 2 or 3 days. Then they started reading differently.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Weird. I too would go with the two reading the same. If haven't added any water then 16% RH sounds right. My home RH is 44-46% and if my water runs dry I'm 16-19% in the incubator. To maintain around 35% all I need is a shot glass of water in there. A shot or cordial glass will fit to the side of your egg turner no problem. Has to be filled every day or runs dry but works great. The cordial glass I'm using now runs 37% when full and drops down to 30% as the glass narrows towards bottom. Will run dry for few hours then top off again. Relatively speaking that gives me an average of 30-ish% and air cells are spot on for me doing this method.

 

[dreamer5577]

Weird. I too would go with the two reading the same. If haven't added any water then 16% RH sounds right. My home RH is 44-46% and if my water runs dry I'm 16-19% in the incubator. To maintain around 35% all I need is a shot glass of water in there. A shot or cordial glass will fit to the side of your egg turner no problem. Has to be filled every day or runs dry but works great. The cordial glass I'm using now runs 37% when full and drops down to 30% as the glass narrows towards bottom. Will run dry for few hours then top off again. Relatively speaking that gives me an average of 30-ish% and air cells are spot on for me doing this method.

Thank you! You've been extremely helpful!