homemade incubator---humidity unstable

[keds45]

Hi! I have gotten a lot of helpful input from people on BYC so thanks so much!

We have a homemade incubator project in progress. we are supposed to be getting eggs friday, so we still have time to troubleshoot. Problem is that the humidity is swinging around wildly. I went ahead and bought a fancier reptile hygrometer to get a handle on things. It is reading around 40 to 70 percent. for humidity I have a dish of water with 1/2 a kitchen sponge in it. Any more sponges and the humidity got too high. Any ideas? Do our eggs stand a chance? thanks

 

[peepblessed]

Hi! I have gotten a lot of helpful input from people on BYC so thanks so much!

We have a homemade incubator project in progress. we are supposed to be getting eggs friday, so we still have time to troubleshoot. Problem is that the humidity is swinging around wildly. I went ahead and bought a fancier reptile hygrometer to get a handle on things. It is reading around 40 to 70 percent. for humidity I have a dish of water with 1/2 a kitchen sponge in it. Any more sponges and the humidity got too high. Any ideas? Do our eggs stand a chance? thanks

If you trust your hygrometer, I would just keep experimenting. Here is a good test for hygrometer. http://www.burgessviolins.com/calibration.html I have a very nice one that was way off.

 

[keds45]

What exactly do I want the humidity to be? i was just looking around the forums and I see anywhere between 20 and 60 percent. I was thinking it was supposed to be 55-60.

 

[peepblessed]

What exactly do I want the humidity to be? i was just looking around the forums and I see anywhere between 20 and 60 percent. I was thinking it was supposed to be 55-60.

I think pretty much every person will give you a different answer on that. I have had success hatches at 50% till lock down and then 65%, and also 30% till lock down and then 75%. I think the biggest thing is to keep it below 50% for the first 18 days so the air cell can get large enough for the chick to have enough air when it breaks the sack or it can drowned in the egg. After 18 days or when the chick starts to pip, if the humidity is to low, it will dry and get shrink wrapped. Hope that helps!

 

[keds45]

Yes, that helps a lot! I didn't understand the relation between humidity and the air cell. I think we'll be okay now! Thanks.

 

[peepblessed]

Here's a good site to help you candle. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...g-candling-pics-progression-though-incubation

 

[keds45]

OOH terriffic! Thanks again!