HELP...humidity questions and lockdown...confused - CHICKS

[trinacliff]

I am totally confused now after reading the huge 50 page humidity thread...today is day 18, and I'm about to lockdown. I went to double check humidity levels and got completely too much information. I am using a Brinsea Octagon 20...humidity has been running anywhere between 43-50% for the most part. Where should I try to get it for lockdown? I read you can drown them if too high, and to try for 5% above normal humidity. My manual says +60%. Also, once I add water, and a small piece of cloth, what if it skyrockets? I only have the tiny adjustment vent to try to adjust temps. Also, will the water in the trays dry up over the next few days? I will fill them to the top, I guess. Any advice? I was to lockdown at 1:00 today, but I'm panicking...so I haven't yet. I did take it off of the autoturner.

Thanks!

Kristen

 

[trinacliff]

One more question...I only have four eggs in the bator...should they be touching or spaced apart for lockdown and hatching???

 

[charmedbychickens]

Here's a friendly bump

 

[sonew123]

you can drown chicks if the humidity is too high my guess 75% or higher. It would be best if you could get yours above 60-65%. This gives the chicks the mositure it needs to turn and manipulate into his pipping position...your fine on the four eggs touching-trust me when they want to come out they kicked around like footballs and dont care if they are touching or a foot apart

 

[trinacliff]

Thank you for the friendly bump!

Also, thanks for the advice! I'm having trouble believing that my humidity is only around 51% now with both reservoirs full and I added a small piece of terry cloth to increase surface area. My humidity had been between 40% and 50% with one reservoir partially full and no terry cloth. Also, the thermometer/hygrometer is saying 99 on the indoor probe and 97.9 on the outdoor probe, which are both inside the bator. So, I'm wondering if my hygrometer (same device) is accurate now. It had been all more consistent most of the incubation period.

What to do? Do I trust my hygrometer? How should I try to get my humidity up now that they are on lockdown?

Thanks,

Kristen

 

[Mark kim]

*Bump* Im using the binsea mini advance and am almost at lock down and i have 4 eggs in it! good luck and hope you get the answer your looking for

 

[Germaine_11.20]

I usually hatch in my Genesis but have done two small hatches in my Brinsea recently. It was too hard to try and read a hygrometer through that thick plastic so I just filled both troughs with water and closed the vent to 1/4.
The first hatch i had two eggs in there and both hatched.
The second hatch I had 3 eggs in there and all hatched.
No sticky chicks in either and when I took them out the troughs were still about 1/2 full. Hope this helps!

 

[trinacliff]

Quote:
Thanks! That gives me some hope...we have the heat on in the house, so I'm wondering if that is keeping my humidity from going up. Do you have any idea on what your humidity was on the last few days??? Sometimes I think it's better if we just don't know...LOL!

Kristen

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Honestly I don't. I just locked them down. Those hard plastic shells on the Brinsea make it near impossible to read anything through them. That is why I used junk eggs in them for experimenting.
They all hatched great. I thought about using them for my lockdown today, but I value the Light Sussex eggs too much to chance it yet. I need to try hatching in there a few more times with more eggs in the hatch before I will trust it completely. I will be watching to see how yours do.

Good luck!

 

[trinacliff]

First chick just hatched! Guess not worrying about it was a good thing....hehehe! I'm so pumped! Another one has pipped! C'mon chickie!!!!

Two more eggs after that....fingers crossed!

Kristen