First Time Incubating! SO EXCITED!!

[aart]

Lockdown question!! There is an article on here that says to lower the temperature on days 19-21. However, everything else that I read online, does not say do this. Should I or not? I would hate to get this far and lose them all.

No, I don't think you'd want to lower temps....you should probably raise the humidity tho.

If you read one thing in one place, then everything else doesn't mention it....I'd go with everything else.
I've never read anything about lowering temps days 19-21..read alot about raising humidity tho.

 

[StephensonC]

No, I don't think you'd want to lower temps....you should probably raise the humidity tho.

If you read one thing in one place, then everything else doesn't mention it....I'd go with everything else.
I've never read anything about lowering temps days 19-21..read alot about raising humidity tho.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and candled, marked the air cells, and added water. I left the temp. alone. But, I'm having an issue trying to stabilize my humidity. The reading on the bator is jumping around from 40% to 85% and my other one says 40%??? Not sure what to do about that. Should I trust the bator(Little Giant 9300 Still Air), or the digital one that's just an indoor temp. and humidity thingy? How long should it take the humidity to actually stabilize? I'm assuming that's why the reading is going up and down??

 

[aart]

If it's jumping around on one and stays the same on the other.....I would think that something is wrong with the on jumping around. Can it be removed for testing?

I'd just put a lot of water in there and take the stable one out and test it ;-) over the next 8-12 hours so you know if it's accurate.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Lockdown question!! There is an article on here that says to lower the temperature on days 19-21. However, everything else that I read online, does not say do this. Should I or not? I would hate to get this far and lose them all.

I read that too but it's the only place I've ever seen it mentioned and I don't know of anyone who does that. I don't.

Yeah, that's what I figured. I went ahead and candled, marked the air cells, and added water. I left the temp. alone. But, I'm having an issue trying to stabilize my humidity. The reading on the bator is jumping around from 40% to 85% and my other one says 40%??? Not sure what to do about that. Should I trust the bator(Little Giant 9300 Still Air), or the digital one that's just an indoor temp. and humidity thingy? How long should it take the humidity to actually stabilize? I'm assuming that's why the reading is going up and down??

Most people say to not trust the incubator's gages. It shouldn't be jumping around anyway. After locking down give it a couple hours, if it is still low and you have a couple good sponges (I only use brand new because I worry about bacteria) wet those and place them in the bator. When I lockdown I fill my wells and put three sponges around the inside and then when I need to add I just pull out the sponges quickly, wet them and stick them back in quickly. I don't worry about the wells after lockdown anymore with the sponges.
Hoping you have an awesome hatch!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Also when I first upped my humidity after lockdown, I stuck my plugs back in for about a half hour to give it time to build up and then I pulled them back out. Just left them in long enough to start raising the humidity. If you do that just don't forget to take them back out because they are really going to need that air circulation..

 

[StephensonC]

I read that too but it's the only place I've ever seen it mentioned and I don't know of anyone who does that. I don't.
Most people say to not trust the incubator's gages. It shouldn't be jumping around anyway. After locking down give it a couple hours, if it is still low and you have a couple good sponges (I only use brand new because I worry about bacteria) wet those and place them in the bator. When I lockdown I fill my wells and put three sponges around the inside and then when I need to add I just pull out the sponges quickly, wet them and stick them back in quickly. I don't worry about the wells after lockdown anymore with the sponges.
Hoping you have an awesome hatch!

Thanks!! I am getting very discouraged at this point. I am now 4 hours in to lockdown. I removed the one hygrometer and put it in the salt solution, and it quickly came up to around 73%. I kept it in there for another hour and it didn't go any higher. Well now, I'm getting the opposite of before. The bator is reading 45% and the drop in one is at 78%.GRRR I have filled all the trays with water, have 2 small bowls of water, and a damp rag in there. I plugged the holes for about 30 minutes and no changes. I feel like I am shooting in the dark with these 2 dang readings being so far off.
So, I am in panic mode!! I will give it some more time to hopefully stabilize, and maybe it will work out. I hope so!! I've worked so hard for this and desperately want it to work!! If the whole thing turns out to be a mess, I'm not sure that I will try it again.

 

[aart]

Just be calm...let the test continue to completion.....it takes time for devices to stabilize, hours sometimes..
As long as you have plenty of water in the incubator it should be fine.

I think the hygrometer built into the incubator is probably faulty.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks!! I am getting very discouraged at this point. I am now 4 hours in to lockdown. I removed the one hygrometer and put it in the salt solution, and it quickly came up to around 73%. I kept it in there for another hour and it didn't go any higher. Well now, I'm getting the opposite of before. The bator is reading 45% and the drop in one is at 78%.GRRR I have filled all the trays with water, have 2 small bowls of water, and a damp rag in there. I plugged the holes for about 30 minutes and no changes. I feel like I am shooting in the dark with these 2 dang readings being so far off.
So, I am in panic mode!! I will give it some more time to hopefully stabilize, and maybe it will work out. I hope so!! I've worked so hard for this and desperately want it to work!! If the whole thing turns out to be a mess, I'm not sure that I will try it again.

If the drop in is saying 78% and you have everything filled then it's probably accurate enough, I wouldn't get upset. Calm down. You're doing great. I agree that the bator meter is wacky and would disregard that. Sending good vibes to those little chicks so you have a good hatch. After my first hatch failed so bad I swore I wouldn't do it again, it was too stressful. After about 2 weeks of licking my wounded pride I talked to my son and we decided to give it a second try. (Couldn't go worse than the first and I felt I learned a lot.) Look what I got out of the second hatch. 12 adorable (adorably messy-it's gonna be a long winter) young chickens. I think you'll have a successful hatch, but if something goes wrong, just mark it as experience and give it one more try. BYC will be here to help, at least emotionally. ;-)

 

[StephensonC]

Just be calm...let the test continue to completion.....it takes time for devices to stabilize, hours sometimes..
As long as you have plenty of water in the incubator it should be fine.

I think the hygrometer built into the incubator is probably faulty.

I think you are right. I just watched it go from 33% to 73% in a matter of 15 seconds. That ills me! I just bought the thing 19 days ago. I think I will take it back to Tractor Supply when the hatch is over and see if they will give me a refund or credit on a better one.

I guess you get what you pay for.

On a brighter note, I could see movement in most of all my eggs when candled this morning. There were a few that were just too dark to see anything. But, I was able to confirm movement from the twins. I have a total of 14 eggs and 15 embryo's. Now....the waiting!!

 

[StephensonC]

If the drop in is saying 78% and you have everything filled then it's probably accurate enough, I wouldn't get upset. Calm down. You're doing great. I agree that the bator meter is wacky and would disregard that. Sending good vibes to those little chicks so you have a good hatch. After my first hatch failed so bad I swore I wouldn't do it again, it was too stressful. After about 2 weeks of licking my wounded pride I talked to my son and we decided to give it a second try. (Couldn't go worse than the first and I felt I learned a lot.) Look what I got out of the second hatch. 12 adorable (adorably messy-it's gonna be a long winter) young chickens. I think you'll have a successful hatch, but if something goes wrong, just mark it as experience and give it one more try. BYC will be here to help, at least emotionally. ;-)

Thank you!! Positive vibes are always welcome.

So, I just called Miller Manufacturing(The ones who make the Little Giant), and she told me that basically "the digital reading that you get on the bator itself, will more than likely be inaccurate in the first place." And, to go by my drop in hygrometer. I am just baffled that they would knowingly sell something that was inaccurate like that. Why do they even put the gauge on there if they know it's not right? Good thing I put another meter in there!!

Anyway, the accurate reading is up to 68% and climbing now, so I feel better. Especially since I know which reading to go by. Hopefully, the next time I post, it will be with good news and lots of little pips.