Dry Incubation!

[farmergal]

I just set 1 dozen eggs last night, and followed the incubator's instructions, filling the smaller water trough to keep it humid. (I have a Hovabator Genesis 1588.) Well the next morning there was condensation on the glass -- obviously way too humid! (I am picking up a battery for my hygrometer in the morning... they run out of batteries at the most inconvenient times, so I can't tell you what the humidity was exactly).

So -- today I took the water out of the bator -- I will be trying a dry set. It's not a perfect experiment since the first 24 hours were at higher humidity, but I'll let you know how it turns out!

But while we're on the topic of raising the humidity of rooms, I have a question: what if your room is TOO humid? Is there any easy way to dehumidify it? (Short of buying a dehumidifier I mean -- could you put towels in the room? Buckets of DE? Any ideas?)

 

[Chicken Woman]

Unless your room is over 60 it should be fine. is it that humid in N Calif ? I have a humidifier on non stop in order to keep mine at 50 since its so dry here.

 

[tdballew]

I set my first eggs Tuesday night. I am new at this. When you candle the eggs on day 7 and 14 how do you keep your temp up to 99.5? Do you take them out all at the same time or one at a time? Do you need to do it in a room with a temp of 99.5?

Thanks for your help! I love BYC and this forum.

 

[Jamie821]

It wont hurt the eggs to be out of the bator the mother hen gets off everyday to drink eat etc. I just open the bator put the eggs in a egg carton close bator candle then put them back/

 

[Chicken Woman]

I made a candlerer today. Hope it works good. Cut a whole the size of quarter i a soup can slide flashlight under and set the egg in the hole.
Do you need to do it in a dark room to see well ?

 

[Jamie821]

chicken woman a dark room helps alot. Also what color of egg you are candling if marans the darker the better and you prob wont see anything at first but a small aircell. If light colored will see veins. what color eggs are you hatching

 

[Chicken Woman]

Marans welsummers australopes

 

[bullrider]

sorry to but in just woundering if you got my email lori(chicken women)about the hygrometer/thermometer @walmart, Kim

 

[Chicken Woman]

Just read it thank you

 

[Jamie821]

your a bad as me all I ever have to candle is marans wellsummers. Good luck. I have done it so many times now though I have got where it only takes a second. for the first candling just look to see if totlly clear if so take it out of bator. If not clear or in question leave it unless it smells or weeps. Try very hard not to turn egg in circles especially on day seven as the umbilicol cord is very fragile. My suggestion to you is do not candle until day 10. I never candle marans and wellsummers until day ten. At 10 days you will definetly know if they are clear or if something is in there. I have got where on day ten I have even seen them swimming even in the dark eggs. The most important thing is do smell test as you candle. On the candling on day 18 the egg should be full of a dark glob with no spotty patches you will be able to see the difference and the air cell will be very visable . If you have any questiions when you try to candle im me I will try to help you