Hovabator Humidity.

[tristancolli]

So for those who are just starting off with incubating and have a hovabator incubator I have run my incubator with the one trough filled that the instructions say to fill for the firls 18 days and i get a humidity of approxmitly 50 % and when in lockdown and supposed to fill both troughs i get a reading of between 62 and 68% humidity. When i set eggs i have always followed the instructions and this is the first time i am even going to monitor the humidity. So you may read that the humidity has to be a certian % for the first 18 and then for lockdown a different % but i think it all just depends. From never monitoring the humidity i have had no bad hatchs. i think my lowest hatch rate was 8/10 so still really well. so good luck and happy hatching.

 

[onawhimfarm]

This is perfect timing for me!! I just got a used hovabator and I plan on setting my first eggs on Feb. 6th. I didn't get any instructions with it... so I have been surfing this site to figure out what I needed to do!! Thank you for this info!!

 

[wekiva bird]

In the past for me, the 1st 18 days 40%-48% then at lock down 70% -77%. It has worked for me.

 

[tristancolli]

In the past for me, the 1st 18 days 40%-48% then at lock down 70% -77%. It has worked for me.

I understand. I was just posting what my humidity was when following the instructions. I had always heard 40-45% for day 1-18 and then 70-75% day 19- hatch and i was just suprised how different they were when i followed instructions compared to what people say it should be.

 

[Fly Fisher]

I agree with you about the Hova-Bator directions. With the smaller channel filled you will have about 50% humidity which many would say is a bit high for day 1 through 18. These incubators however are designed for beginners and are pre set to produce good hatch rates when you follow the directions. These bators deliver these results with almost no tinkering other than adding water occasionally. I have had great hatch rates running 50% humidity for the incubation period.

I would like to try to lower the humidity in the future due to the fact that I regularly stagger hatches and the bators run constantly. I would think that a lower humidity will lessen my chances for problems with bacteria. To date I have had only mixed success at lowering the humidity.. When I add less water to the channels the humidity drops quickly. An example would be with center channel partially full you could go from 35% humidity to single digits in 24 hours but if you fill it completely it will hold 50% for several days.

If anyone has been able to hold humidity in the 30's for any length of time please share your technique.

 

[Mahonri]

I've done it many different way. Perhaps it depends upon where you are, but for me:

My very best hatches have been:

Days 1-18: 30%-35% humidity
Days 19-21: 65%-70% humidity

On my last hatch after lockdown I hatched out 18 of 19. Not bad.

 

[tristancolli]

so i have been running my bator since lastnight with no water in it at all. Dont worry i dont have any eggs set yet im just seeing the humidity and everything. with no water at all it is running constant 10%. someone told me that if you fill the trough opposite to the one you are supposed to for day 1-18 that you get a bit lower humidity then the 50% but i havnt tried it yet and prolly wont cause in the next couple days i will hopefully be getting and setting some eggs.

 

[cmom]

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I've done it many different way. Perhaps it depends upon where you are, but for me:

My very best hatches have been:

Days 1-18: 30%-35% humidity
Days 19-21: 65%-70% humidity

On my last hatch after lockdown I hatched out 18 of 19. Not bad.

I agree, since I have been incubating and hatching at days 1-18: 30%-35% humidity (dry hatch) and days 19-21: up to 75% humidity. Since I have been doing it this way my hatches have been 95% to 100%.

 

[cmom]

oops

 

[cmom]

I agree with you about the Hova-Bator directions. With the smaller channel filled you will have about 50% humidity which many would say is a bit high for day 1 through 18. These incubators however are designed for beginners and are pre set to produce good hatch rates when you follow the directions. These bators deliver these results with almost no tinkering other than adding water occasionally. I have had great hatch rates running 50% humidity for the incubation period.

I would like to try to lower the humidity in the future due to the fact that I regularly stagger hatches and the bators run constantly. I would think that a lower humidity will lessen my chances for problems with bacteria. To date I have had only mixed success at lowering the humidity.. When I add less water to the channels the humidity drops quickly. An example would be with center channel partially full you could go from 35% humidity to single digits in 24 hours but if you fill it completely it will hold 50% for several days.

If anyone has been able to hold humidity in the 30's for any length of time please share your technique.

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