Help with humidity

[Amanda0419]

This is my first time incubating chicken eggs. I did a dry hatch and the humidity would range between 25-30%. The incubator is on day 18 and today when I removed the turning tray and put water in to increase the humidity I noticed 2 chicks have popped through the shell and I can hear one chirping. My problem is I can’t get the humidity level to go above 48%. I’m worried the chicks will get shrink wrapped. Is there anything I can do to increase the humidity or has anyone successfully hatched eggs with a humidity that low?

 

[CabritaChicks]

What is your setup? what brand incubator (commercial) or did you make your own?

A sponge with water often helps.

Edit: I see many times on here- people using a less expensive brand incubator. And the instructions state 'Use two tubes when hatching'... did yours come with those water tubes?

 

[Amanda0419]

What is your setup? what brand incubator (commercial) or did you make your own?

A sponge with water often helps.

Edit: I see many times on here- people using a less expensive brand incubator. And the instructions state 'Use two tubes when hatching'... did yours come with those water tubes?

I have the Impeckables incubator from Tractor Supply. It was in clearance last season so I figured I would give it a try. There were no tubes but it did come with a bottle marked with 100ml and 150 ml. It said to use 150 ml so that’s what I did. If I use more it goes into the water reservoir which isn’t covered anymore since the turning tray needed to be removed.

 

[CabritaChicks]

There was not an extra tray? One that is perforated, (underneath) and one for turning?

I looked it up- and it has two trays?

 

[Ridgerunner]

It was a pain finding the operators manual for that Impeckables incubator but I finally did. Frankly, I'm not that impressed with it, it is a bit hard to manage humidity. and does not look use friendly.

Do you see the difference between the water storage basins and the water storage tank? For lockdown you empty the water storage tank and add water to the water storage basins. You add water to the basins until you get the humidity where you want it, adding a certain amount each time and then allowing it to stabilize before you add the next water. I can't tell how you add water to the basins and not the storage tank.

To prepare for lockdown remove the white turner but put that section that covers the water basins back in. I think it is blue. That keeps the eggs and chicks up out of the water.

Good luck! That incubator should be able to hatch chicks but I would not call it user friendly.

 

[Amanda0419]

There was not an extra tray? One that is perforated, (underneath) and one for turning?

I looked it up- and it has two trays?

Yes there are two trays. I took the white one out. The directions said to remove it so the chicks would have room to hatch.

 

[Amanda0419]

It was a pain finding the operators manual for that Impeckables incubator but I finally did. Frankly, I'm not that impressed with it, it is a bit hard to manage humidity. and does not look use friendly.

Do you see the difference between the water storage basins and the water storage tank? For lockdown you empty the water storage tank and add water to the water storage basins. You add water to the basins until you get the humidity where you want it, adding a certain amount each time and then allowing it to stabilize before you add the next water. I can't tell how you add water to the basins and not the storage tank.

To prepare for lockdown remove the white turner but put that section that covers the water basins back in. I think it is blue. That keeps the eggs and chicks up out of the water.

Good luck! That incubator should be able to hatch chicks but I would not call it user friendly.

Yes I see the difference for the water storage basin and storage tank. The problem is the one overflows into the other. If you put too much water in it leave the middle with water exposed and the chicks could drown. Definitely not user friendly. It’s been great until this point though.

 

[CabritaChicks]

Level your incubator? (if that is an issue). Take out the white. Put in the blue. Close the lid.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes I see the difference for the water storage basin and storage tank. The problem is the one overflows into the other. If you put too much water in it leave the middle with water exposed and the chicks could drown. Definitely not user friendly. It’s been great until this point though.

The instructions say to dry out that middle one. Maybe with a turkey baster?