first hatch a fail

[AmyLynn2374]

Yup, so it looks like the thermometer I was using is about 6 degrees off. So when it was reading 99/100 it was in fact abt 93/94. That would explain a lot. At least now I know. Maybe the next hatch won't be so bad?? We'll see. Sad thing is that was a brand new thermometer too!

 

[newchickentown]

Ok I m on day 18 of second try having a hard time keeping humidity regulated temp has been steady at 100 what do I need to do on day 18 to make sure everything goes well. how do yoyo put you egg in incubator when you remove from turned. is humityvgoing to be a problem. help

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ok I m on day 18 of second try having a hard time keeping humidity regulated temp has been steady at 100 what do I need to do on day 18 to make sure everything goes well. how do yoyo put you egg in incubator when you remove from turned. is humityvgoing to be a problem. help

I lay my eggs down at lockdown, some people cut the bottoms out of egg cartons and hatch them in the cartons like that. If you have clean sponges you can cut one in strips and put them in the bator wet to help up humidity or a wet cloth. It is important to get humidity up so the eggs do not get "shrink wrapped" by the membrane at hatch time.

 

[newchickentown]

How much humityvdo you think I put in a wet paper towel

 

[MeepBeep]

How much humityvdo you think I put in a wet paper towel

Get an accurate humidity gauge, there are so many factors I can't even take a guess answering your question... In a small incubator a wet paper towel might very well spike the humidity to 70% or greater for an hour or two, while in a larger incubator it might not have much effect at all... Also forced air vs still air makes a difference in how fast and high the humidity is driven...

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Humidity needs to be 65% or higher and I do believe I think I've seen people recommend wet paper towels. Use warm water though, cold will bring your temps down.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Here's a thread I found where they were discussing the same problem: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/927798/humidity

 

[newchickentown]

I can get it in the 60 but it goes down within a couple hour I had the plugs open on the top but have closed them now hoping that helps. any suggestions
are welcome. The incubators is 2feet by 2 feet

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You really need the vents open at lockdown. If increasing the surface area of your water, adding a wet sponge/cloth does not work, is there any way that you can higher the humidity of the room that the bator is in with a humidifier or a bowl of water over a heat source if you are using one?

 

[MeepBeep]

I can get it in the 60 but it goes down within a couple hour I had the plugs open on the top but have closed them now hoping that helps.  any suggestions 
are welcome. The incubators is 2feet by 2 feet

More surface area... Get some cellulose sponges that wick water up (cheap foam ones don't) and stack them in the water container above the top of the water, keep layering them upward until you get the humidity you want...

Or you can do as I do and get a small humidifier and put it in there...

I have a little USB powered one that works OK but recently upgraded to a bigger/better unit...

This is the USB one I was using earlier this year in my other incubator with an old cell phone charger, it worked well...

http://www.amazon.com/EiioX-Portabl...id=1414605333&sr=8-12&keywords=usb+humidifier

There are all sorts of these little ultrasonic humidifiers to be found nowadays, some screw right on water bottles, others are built into a float ring that just floats in a bowl of water, browse around one of the best investments I made, just plug it in and wham humidity...