Help i'm stuck on lock down

[kellyatric]

Please help. My hatches are due today and so far there has been no sign of anything. I'm checking the humidity and think it's too low (57%), but i can't get it any higher - one reason because all the water trays are full and the second - i'm on lock down so can't do anything.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[bobbieschicks]

If you have a Hovabator 1602N like I do - you could drop water into it through the top - there are open vent holes at the top or add water through the gap at the electrical plug opening where the turner wire would normally be.

My last hatch was born on Day 22 and 23rd - low humidity and low temps. This go round I've got a pipper and it's only Day 19.

 

[kellyatric]

I'll give that a try - I've got a different bator but think I can do a similar thing - fingers crossed

 

[Nikkumz]

Be quick and open it up for a second and put a damp/wet sponge/ paper towel in there, it will help with the humidity..
If you have a little giant, make sure both vent plugs are in, if they are out it will lower the humidity

 

[kellyatric]

Ok now i've got a damp paper towel in there and it's shot up to the 70's - do you think that's ok?

 

[ContessaKris]

70's is what I was keeping mine at, happier with 80's. I added an extra jar of water but i had room for that. The towels and sponge are great ideas. Might try to get it up a big higher. Good luck!

 

[kellyatric]

do you think I've slowed up the process now having the humidity too low before? Just wondering if I should still expect a hatch now or maybe in a day or so

 

[ContessaKris]

I'm not the person to ask since we've incubated eggs and didn't get a chicken. We have new eggs in there now but from all I read, lower humidity in the beginning 35-55% and then higher in the last 3 days 75-85% is best. SO maybe it just slowed it a bit. keep watching. If they're gonna hatch, it will be soon. Have fun!

 

[bandbaustin]

mine usually runs 55-65% during lockdown and i have great hatch rates. Ijust hatched 13 out of 13 silkies and now have another group hatching as well. my humidity is 59% right now and i am always opening it to check progress

 

[SarahIrl]

Humidity won't affect how long they take to hatch, temperature defines that. Humidity will influence how well they hatch, as low humidity means the egg loses too much weight and the chicks will be taking moisture from the membranes left inside the egg, making them 'sticky' and less likely to get out of the shells alive. Too much and the membrane is more like a thick jelly substance and the chiks can't get through it causing them to drown. 57% is just fine, if you can't get it higher you don't need to. A lot depends on the local weather conditions, I find in the dry weather my incubator runs at a lower humidity anyway, so I just fill my single resevoir for days 1-18 and add more days 18-21. Just sit back and wait. The more often you open the lid, the more heat you lose and the longer they will take. Be patient! (It's impossible, I know!)

I've hatched over 200 birds in my kitchen since May last year alone