HOVABATOR Humidity TRAY HELP ?????

[daisychick]

ok I am taking the eggs out of the turner and going to fill the other water trays to up the humidity.

Which trays do I fill???

I know the center L shaped one of course.

Then there is the thin one that outlines the center L shaped one.

Then my tray has 2 long ones on each outside edge.

Do I fill them all???

Or just the center 2???

 

[azelgin]

Start out with the center two. That brought the humidity on mine up to 65%. As soon as they started hatching it jumped to 75% so, I pulled the plug and it is staing right around 70%. Our room humidity is only about 25%. I'm sure that has some effect on things.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Room RH has a massive effect.

You are going to need to play with the water levels. The instructions are, at best, a rough guide.

Some people, for example, need no water at all others need extra wicking, as well as full trays.

It pays to work all that out before you set eggs.

 

[daisychick]

Our humidity outside is 30 here in Colorado. Ok I will try filling the center 2 first and see what that gives me.

 

[daisychick]

I tested the humidity levels and how much water to add to keep it at 50% before setting eggs.....but forgot to test how much water to add for the last 3 days to keep it at 65%

Well that is why this is a test run for me I am learning!!

Thanks to all of you guys I have learned soooooo much!!!

 

[emmalynn]

I have problems w/ maintaining humidity and hate those trays. I put in a sponge that I keep moist and watch the hygrometer.

 

[justhatchin]

We have a propane fireplace and I need to put extra water sources in my hovabator. I use coffee cups -brings it right up there. Because of the way my bottem tray is you can only fill the 2 middle trays the rest have vent holes-makes me think it was still- air at one time (bought it second hand). Use tall cups as some of the hatchlings can stretch up pretty far.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
Boy, you got that right. I had some major issues when I took them off the turner and set them for the hatch. My homemade styrofoam anti-tumble egg holder was blocking air from evaporating the water in the trays underneath. I modified it a couple of times and still couldn't get the humidity up. I finally just set them on the wire and let it go, before I ended up killing everybody. Next time I'll work this out in advance. I did manage to run some "plumbing" into the trays, so I can add or remove water with a turkey baster without pulling the lid.

 

[twigg]

Quote:
Boy, you got that right. I had some major issues when I took them off the turner and set them for the hatch. My homemade styrofoam anti-tumble egg holder was blocking air from evaporating the water in the trays underneath. I modified it a couple of times and still couldn't get the humidity up. I finally just set them on the wire and let it go, before I ended up killing everybody. Next time I'll work this out in advance. I did manage to run some "plumbing" into the trays, so I can add or remove water with a turkey baster without pulling the lid.

The eggs really don't mind the tumbling about .... honest. They still hatch perfectly normally.

I can't square the risk of messing up humidity, and other factors, by putting completely unecessary items under the eggs.

 

[azelgin]

Quote:
Boy, you got that right. I had some major issues when I took them off the turner and set them for the hatch. My homemade styrofoam anti-tumble egg holder was blocking air from evaporating the water in the trays underneath. I modified it a couple of times and still couldn't get the humidity up. I finally just set them on the wire and let it go, before I ended up killing everybody. Next time I'll work this out in advance. I did manage to run some "plumbing" into the trays, so I can add or remove water with a turkey baster without pulling the lid.

The eggs really don't mind the tumbling about .... honest. They still hatch perfectly normally.

I can't square the risk of messing up humidity, and other factors, by putting completely unecessary items under the eggs.

They do seem to be hatching out fine. It was more for me, so I would be able to tell who came from what egg, as they are mostly mutts and I was curious as to what they were going to like like at hatching time. I know who the mommas are. Not so sure about the dads. Now it's just chaos and chicks and eggs and shells and yuck and thermometers and stuff flying everywhere.