Hatching at high altitude

[Peep_Show]

I've had good luck with the Genesis 1588. I use mine for hatching (incubating done in a Brinsea, but finish up in a unit with more headroom) and it holds the humidity well. I'm at 5200 feet and do not put the red plugs in. My helpful hint is to wrap the unit in a beach towel or two to stabilize against fluctuating room temperatures. Great visibility for hatching.

 

[R2elk]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking to start hatch #2 after a 4/12 success rate of hatch #1. Best I can figure is our humidity was super hard to keep constant during incubation and lockdown and I didn't realize I needed to take out the red air plugs the whole time!

We decided to upgrade our incubator, but aren't able to spend thousands of dollars. Does anyone have any favorites that will hold more than 10 eggs at a time and controls humidity without a huge price tag?

Ohh yeah and our elevation is about 6,515 ft. and we live in SW Colorado, so we are super dry as a rule of thumb.

In a super dry climate, it can be helpful to have the incubator in a small room with a humidifier.

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

I've had good luck with the Genesis 1588. I use mine for hatching (incubating done in a Brinsea, but finish up in a unit with more headroom) and it holds the humidity well. I'm at 5200 feet and do not put the red plugs in. My helpful hint is to wrap the unit in a beach towel or two to stabilize against fluctuating room temperatures. Great visibility for hatching.

Does this affect the humidity in any way? I would assume not if you are wrapping around the perimeter and don't cover the plug holes..

 

[Peep_Show]

The 1588 has four channels to fill with water, and it is the filling of those channels that determine what humidity you have. I find filling Channels 1, 2 and 4 provide ideal hatching humidity for my locale. Dryer locations might fill all four channels. Once hatching starts, the humidity naturally goes up.
So, no, towel wrapping does not affect the humidity. But it does provide added insulation to steady the temperature (which is a bane with styrofoam box incubators as they tend to fluctuate with room temperature changes.)

 

[aliciaplus3]

I have been hatching in a nurture rite 360, I live in Montrose co so I understand the dry part and we are at about 6000 feet above sea level. I fill both channels and leave the vent all the way open. I have not had issues from low humidity during lockdown.... ps. I keep my eggs in my brinsea ovation ex56 till lockdown I am running the humidity at 30% then jump it to 60%+ at lockdown

 

[TwoCrows]

I am at 7,000 feet. I have found that I need to incubate the entire cycle with vents wide open. The higher you live, less oxygen is available.

 

[aliciaplus3]

I am at 7,000 feet. I have found that I need to incubate the entire cycle with vents wide open. The higher you live, less oxygen is available.

That is my understanding..... I always have the vents wide open. Lol

 

[TwoCrows]

That is my understanding..... I always have the vents wide open. Lol

 

[Little Coop on Salt Creek]

That is my understanding..... I always have the vents wide open. Lol

Thanks everyone! We set another batch on Thursday and are hoping for a better outcome. Red vent plugs are out! Working on keeping the humidity lower & at this point a damp paper towel is working better than the sponge. The humidity pads are ordered too. I also scoured over @Pyxis incubation article so am hopeful we’ll have a better turnout this go round.

We started this hatch out in our Farm Innovators incubator while waiting for our new Incuview with humudikit to arrive next week.

 

[aliciaplus3]

Thanks everyone! We set another batch on Thursday and are hoping for a better outcome. Red vent plugs are out! Working on keeping the humidity lower & at this point a damp paper towel is working better than the sponge. The humidity pads are ordered too. I also scoured over @Pyxis incubation article so am hopeful we’ll have a better turnout this go round.

We started this hatch out in our Farm Innovators incubator while waiting for our new Incuview with humudikit to arrive next week.

Best of luck.... just remember hatching can be addictive lol