I am about to start my first ever hatch. I purchased a Hova Bator 1602, and I am about to turn it on to let it run for a few days before the eggs go in. My fist question is, how much water should I put in? Should I fill up just the middle area, and should I cover any of the surface of the water with foil? Also, it says over 6000 feet that I should pull the red plugs out of the top. My city is at 6035 feet so it is right there. Should I leave them, take them out, or maybe take one out? Sorry I have so many dumb questions, I just want my first time to go well! Thanks so much!
Hi and welcome! You would be well served getting a hygrometer, which measures humidity. Walmart and Radio Shack have them. Get a decent one. This will help guide you with regards to humidity. I have a hova 1588 and this summer has been too humid to go by their guidelines to fill the "C" tray. I ran mine dry for most of the first 18 days. Look at the paperwork to see what genesis tells you to fill for the first hatching period. But even the tin foil was keeping my humidity too high. So I eventually took it all out and ran humidity at about 38% dry. Then added a bit for days 18-21. Good luck! What are you hatching?
Even putting in a cup of water twice a day here, I haven't been able to get my humidity near 40%, so you could say I'm dry incubating with water. lol I'm just fighting to keep my humidity above 30%, and I'll watch my air pockets closely, otherwise i have to open my bator twice a day to fill every spot, and I don't want to mess with it that often, It's bound to cause complications.