Help....incubator, humidity and air flow

[seabreeze]

OK, the two Hovabators have approx 20 eggs each and are in lockdown.

Here's the frustration.

We are supposed to keep the humidity at 65%, correct? When we take the plugs out of the top for the required air flow, it drops the humidity to about 45%. How do we keep the humidity up and give the eggs air flow (still air) at the same time? Do we plug ONE hole and leave the other open? That certainly wouldn't give much air flow as in two openings would.

How do we keep the humidity up? We have sponges well moistened in the trays and the temp is a steady 99.5.

Maybe I'm not seeing the answer here so thought the brilliant minds

on this board somewhere can figure this out? (probably very obvious and right in front of my nose).

 

[VI KING RANCH]

Don't worry it is ok to have the humidity any where in the area of 45-65 percent.

 

[seabreeze]

Thanks Vi King! Should we alternate closing up one of the vents to increase humidity periodically?

 

[VI KING RANCH]

I wouldn't try increasing the humidity until the second week. And if you can't they should still be fine.

 

[seabreeze]

they are on lockdown right now, due date 2/25, that's why I'm concerned about the humidity

 

[deerman]

add a sponge or more water surface....or close one vent, need higher humdity for hatching.

 

[Gypsy07]

If the bator's instructions say to keep the vents open for lockdown, I'd keep them open. High oxygen levels are every bit as important as high humidity come lockdown time. Increasing humidity is more about increasing the surface area of the water than increasing the actual amount of water, so could you maybe put paper towels folded up into ridges in the bottom of the bator, and then keep them wet by dripping or piping water in through one of the vent holes?

 

[seabreeze]

Thanks everyone, I will try and get more water into it than even now. Talk about a basic science lesson in evaporation! We've had a hit n miss experience on incubator hatching and hopefully, we've got it down this time around? Much more regulated, far less *peeking*, two temp gauges and one humidity gauge for each. Our first couple of rounds there was no humidity gauge so I'm amazed we got a good hatch at all

I also have midge white turkey eggs coming in today and one incubator is solely for that so hopefully