Hello Everyone NE Arkansas here.

[Debbie292d]

Hello Debbie, Thank you for the info.

I had almost a book typed out to you and the screen flashed and I lost it….lol. I hope this is not how my whole day ends up. . Although it’s probably better for you…..

I’ve done a brain exploding amount of research on this forum overnight. A great thread from a gentleman named Pete on shipped duck eggs.

My eggs will go into the incubator at 4pm (24hrs) this afternoon in cut down cardboard egg cartons. Not be touched for 3 days. Then left in carton cut out for additional 4 days but turned from side to side. I know I have a 50% air sac detachment in my eggs. Meaning 50% or more air sacs are detached.

My question is with humidity. You said 40%. Mine are preset to 60. And my last and first incubation I could never get it under 50%. Not sure if our heating with natural gas has anything to do with this or not. My house stays at 50 to 60% humidity in the winter months due to heating with natural gas.

My back up incubator was inherited from my neighbor. New in the box but an Amazon cheapie. It’s set at 60% and is running 70%. Was planning to use it if I had to keep any of the eggs in an upright position longer than the 7 days. Any advice on how to get the humidity lower or closer to 40%? Took the water bottle out of the newest unit and it has dropped to 64%. But not sure if I can stabilize it without the water bottle in. I can see to many things that may go wrong.

Thanks in advance for any info or if you can see from my plans what I need to do different. Any and all advice is more than welcome,

Ugh, sorry about having to retype so much. I stick to my computer for the most part as the mobile devices I can use, but I'm usually a clutz on.

You're doing great reading articles and threads on here!

Are you incubating duck eggs or chicken eggs? Usually, there's no difference, but with some breeds, there is.

Your house running high humidity: We are in Wisconsin which averages 70% humidity and is as bad in the winter as it is in the summer, and yet, inside right now it's 27%. I didn't realize it was this low until I just checked it. I have to get hubby to turn the AprilAir on (furnace humidifier). I don't know why your house would be running so high. Check for dripping faucets or leaking pipes or something? I'm at a loss what could be doing that. Dehumidifiers can help, but those are pricey.

There should be a way to change the preset on the incubator. Try looking it up to see if you can find a manual or tell us the brand, and maybe someone knows of it, or I can try to look it up for you.

If the eggs run high humidity the whole incubation, they may drown. Perhaps you can find a bedroom or another place to set it where it would be less humid? I'd remove any humidity sources from the room, such as pet dishes and potted plants.

I do 40-45%, but if you can get it down to 50%, that's still okay. 60 or 70% is not good during incubation, that's for lockdown (the last three days). I see you did pull the water bottle from it. Is there a water receptacle in there or a sponge you could remove?

 

[janiedoe]

It has more than you know. At times I get chills because she can give a certain look and it’s like him looking at me. Lol

I think I understand. Sometimes when I look in the mirror I see my mother. It brings me a lot of comfort. I see her in my daughter and my granddaughter also. I'm sure they will see me in the mirror someday.

 

[CJ1868]

Ugh, sorry about having to retype so much. I stick to my computer for the most part as the mobile devices I can use, but I'm usually a clutz on.

You're doing great reading articles and threads on here!

Are you incubating duck eggs or chicken eggs? Usually, there's no difference, but with some breeds, there is.

Your house running high humidity: We are in Wisconsin which averages 70% humidity and is as bad in the winter as it is in the summer, and yet, inside right now it's 27%. I didn't realize it was this low until I just checked it. I have to get hubby to turn the AprilAir on (furnace humidifier). I don't know why your house would be running so high. Check for dripping faucets or leaking pipes or something? I'm at a loss what could be doing that. Dehumidifiers can help, but those are pricey.

There should be a way to change the preset on the incubator. Try looking it up to see if you can find a manual or tell us the brand, and maybe someone knows of it, or I can try to look it up for you.

If the eggs run high humidity the whole incubation, they may drown. Perhaps you can find a bedroom or another place to set it where it would be less humid? I'd remove any humidity sources from the room, such as pet dishes and potted plants.

I do 40-45%, but if you can get it down to 50%, that's still okay. 60 or 70% is not good during incubation, that's for lockdown (the last three days). I see you did pull the water bottle from it. Is there a water receptacle in there or a sponge you could remove?

Debbie292d, replied to your message not sure what happened. Hope putting your name in like this tags you. Humidity is higher due to the gas heat. Windows and doors will sweat at times because of it. Totally different from the dry electric furnace I use to have. I just wondered if that could be the cause of my incubators running a higher humidity than set at.

The incubators are set up in my master bath. Not used for bathing much due to no shower in there. No leaks. And it’s farthest away from our heating/humidity source. I can change the settings on both incubators. Not sure how low I can set them. At 40 my trusted still runs 50. The new one has only been plugged in about 15 hrs. I’m hoping that’s the biggest issue and it will level out so I can adjust successfully to a lower humidity. There isn’t anything that can be removed in the cheap one. But I could possibly add a sponge so maybe not as much water fills the reservoir. It’s like an open cup with a guard over it. A tube leads from the water bottle holder to it. I know the sponge would be wet but not as much freee standing water. Or am I crazy for thinking this?

The thread was about duck eggs. But several people ask about chicken eggs also. And the process was the same just different times on the procedure he used. Shorter for chicken eggs obviously.

 

[Debbie292d]

The incubators are set up in my master bath. Not used for bathing much due to no shower in there. No leaks.

But there's a toilet in there I presume. Not saying you need to worry about this, but just trying to see if you had a room with no humidity sources.

Our furnace is propane, and usually humidity in the home is around 40-45%. When we heat with wood, that drives it back down, and we've been doing that since it's bitter cold here.

But I could possibly add a sponge so maybe not as much water fills the reservoir. It’s like an open cup with a guard over it. A tube leads from the water bottle holder to it. I know the sponge would be wet but not as much freee standing water.

I would be interested to see what it runs at if you don't add anything to the incubator. Try to run it dry as a bone and see what it's at.

Also, do you have a separate hygrometer/thermometer to check the settings? Incubators are rarely accurate is why I ask.

 

[CJ1868]

But there's a toilet in there I presume. Not saying you need to worry about this, but just trying to see if you had a room with no humidity sources.

Our furnace is propane, and usually humidity in the home is around 40-45%. When we heat with wood, that drives it back down, and we've been doing that since it's bitter cold here.



I would be interested to see what it runs at if you don't add anything to the incubator. Try to run it dry as a bone and see what it's at.

Also, do you have a separate hygrometer/thermometer to check the settings? Incubators are rarely accurate is why I ask.

Yes I have 2 extra meters. Believe it or not they are both dead on, on temp and only -3 and -2 off on humidity. I will try to move them into the master closet. I was just worried about it being a tad bit cooler in there and having to run extension cords as there is no electrical outlets in there. The fear being my fur babies accidentally getting into a cord or god forbid me or my husband getting tangled in a run cord.

My original unit has been plugged in 3 days now. Changed to 40% last night at around 9 30 pm. Running a steady 50%. Just lifted the top off the other and tried to take a rag and get out as much water as possible out of the reservoir. Was still at 61%. Will update you in a few hours. Was planning on trying to run it dry to see what it read and go from there. As I will have 7 days to play with it b4 possibly needing it. May just have to bite the bullet and buy another 1. Do you have any advice on changing from 1 incubator to another after 7 days. I’m a little worried about doing it. But if they need to be upright at a 45 degree angle longer I won’t have a choice. Either that or will have to leave them all at a 45 degree angle til lockdown time. But that means me hand turning and disturbing everyday several times a day. Not sure the best route here.

 

[NagemTX]

 

[sourland]

Good morning, Candy, and welcome to BYC.

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes I have 2 extra meters. Believe it or not they are both dead on, on temp and only -3 and -2 off on humidity. I will try to move them into the master closet. I was just worried about it being a tad bit cooler in there and having to run extension cords as there is no electrical outlets in there. The fear being my fur babies accidentally getting into a cord or god forbid me or my husband getting tangled in a run cord.

My original unit has been plugged in 3 days now. Changed to 40% last night at around 9 30 pm. Running a steady 50%. Just lifted the top off the other and tried to take a rag and get out as much water as possible out of the reservoir. Was still at 61%. Will update you in a few hours. Was planning on trying to run it dry to see what it read and go from there. As I will have 7 days to play with it b4 possibly needing it. May just have to bite the bullet and buy another 1. Do you have any advice on changing from 1 incubator to another after 7 days. I’m a little worried about doing it. But if they need to be upright at a 45 degree angle longer I won’t have a choice. Either that or will have to leave them all at a 45 degree angle til lockdown time. But that means me hand turning and disturbing everyday several times a day. Not sure the best route here.

Do you have any advice on changing from 1 incubator to another after 7 days.

A few people candle daily and many seem to have no problem opening their incubator so much. Although, those who do that and have lower hatch rates or wind up with shrink wrapped chicks, I'm sure that's why.

I only candle weekly as I'm running staggered hatches and have to move mine too, to the lockdown incubator. I candle them all the day I move the ones going to lockdown.

 

[CJ1868]

Good morning, Candy, and welcome to BYC.

Good morning to you also. Thank you and happy to be here.

 

[N F C]

Hi Candy, sorry about the loss of your brother, sibs are tough to lose. Best wishes for a terrific hatch, keep us posted on how it turns out!