help with a new bator/LG Still Air

[chicks rule]

Hi all, I have a LG Still Air Bator, having trouble with humidity? When I get the temp up where it needs to be the humidity drops. Right now the temp is at 99.5 and the humidity is at 16%. What do I do???? No eggs in there yet.

 

[speckledhen]

Are you sure about that humidity? What hygrometer are you using? I've never seen humidity that low. You do have water in the bator, right?

 

[chicks rule]

Hey Cyn, I just emailed you, lol. This is a Accurite Humidity Monitor, reads humidity and temp. Right now it is at 16% humidity and the temp is 101. Got me baffled, the thermometer that came with the bater reads 99.5??? Help

 

[speckledhen]

Is the entire unit inside the bator? If not, that humidity is the reading inside the room. It does not read humidity with the probe. Usually, the bator thermometers are inaccurate, but I have two Acurites and one reads one degree high on the top measurement all the time.
Is this the one you have?

 

[chicks rule]

yep it is in the bator. I tried it with both ventilation plugs in, both out and now one in and one out????

 

[speckledhen]

Put both ventilation plugs in. Is the tray full of water or whatever you do the first 18 days? I'm not sure how the LG is set up to add water. That reading doesn't make any sense at all. I'd take out that thermo/hygro, reset the high/low or even pull out and put the battery back in and replace it in the bator, then see what it reads.
***Bobbie, you need the temp at 102 in a still air bator, not 99.5. Just thought of that as well.

 

[chicks rule]

The Accurite I have doesn't have a probe on it. I will put the vent plugs back and reset the hygro and put it back and hope that works. Thanks Cyn.

 

[speckledhen]

Ok, then that isn't the same model as mine. Still, that humidity reading is really odd. Even without water in the bator, it should read whatever the room humidity is and I'd say in MO, it would be higher than 16%. Don't worry, we'll figure it out! Anyone else have any ideas here? We need this all to be working smoothly by tomorrow when she gets her eggs.

 

[chicks rule]

Thanks Cyn, You know the week I have had and how bad I want this hatch to go well. I have not been thinking very well all week and now with the funeral over I can maybe go tomorrow if this hasn't levelled out and can get a different hygro???

 

[speckledhen]

You could do that, but first, you could try to calibrate your hygrometer. Remember that your temps are more critical than your humidity. Humidity can vary from 25-50% the first 18 days and still have a great hatch. Here are instructions on how to do the calibration:

To calibrate your hygrometer you will need table salt, a see through container such as a Ziplock baggie, and a small shallow open container, like a bottle cap.

Place a teaspoon or so of salt in the shallow container and add a few drops of water to get it wet. You don't want to dissolve it, just get a good damp pile of salt in your container. Remember, you don't want a salt water solution, just damp salt. Place the shallow container in the baggie along with the hygrometer.

Seal the baggie with some air trapped inside (so it is not tight against the hygrometer) and let it sit. Allow this to stabilize for at least 6 hours (don't rush it). After it has stabilized, check the hygrometer reading without opening up the baggie. It should be exactly 75%.

If your hygrometer doesn't read 75% after calibration then you have 2 choices. First you can remember the deviation of your hygrometer. If it read 80% then you are 5% off and have to subtract 5% from whatever it reads. The second option is to adjust the hygrometer if your model allows for this. Some hygrometers have a dial on the back or side that can be turned to adjust the unit to 75%. If yours doesn't have this, then go with option 1.​