How To Lower Humidity

[Sunnyducks]

Thank you, @AmyLynn2374 , I hadn't thought about charcoal. I'll try to track some down. I'm in Oz and we don't have your Dollar Store, but I'm sure I'll find some. Otherwise I'll try eBay for silica. That's a great idea.

I haven't checked the hygrometer in the incubator as such - it does however measure only a percentage or two above the ambient humidity as measured on our two wall-hung barometers. My incubator is a very cheap one, and doesn't have movable vents - they are just two tiny holes in the very base of the incubator.

@birdeo Thank you for the comment about checking the ambient humidity in the house/room. We are heading into warmer weather now so the main doors to the house are open all day, so I definitely think I'm going to have to work on reducing the internal humidity in the incubator itself.

I'm very grateful to you guys for such great support. Have a nice weekend with your families

 

[birdeo]

Thank you, @AmyLynn2374 , I hadn't thought about charcoal. I'll try to track some down. I'm in Oz and we don't have your Dollar Store, but I'm sure I'll find some. Otherwise I'll try eBay for silica. That's a great idea.

I haven't checked the hygrometer in the incubator as such - it does however measure only a percentage or two above the ambient humidity as measured on our two wall-hung barometers. My incubator is a very cheap one, and doesn't have movable vents - they are just two tiny holes in the very base of the incubator.

@birdeo Thank you for the comment about checking the ambient humidity in the house/room. We are heading into warmer weather now so the main doors to the house are open all day, so I definitely think I'm going to have to work on reducing the internal humidity in the incubator itself.

I'm very grateful to you guys for such great support. Have a nice weekend with your families

Please understand, the humidity IN THE ROOM will affect the humidity IN THE BATOR. If you lower it in the room you will see lower humidity in the bator...it's all relevant.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Please understand, the humidity IN THE ROOM will affect the humidity IN THE BATOR. If you lower it in the room you will see lower humidity in the bator...it's all relevant.

Yes, relative humidity does affect the humidity in the bator, however, it's not always easy to lower the room's humidity short of having a dehumidifier.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Yes, relative humidity does affect the humidity in the bator, however, it's not always easy to lower the room's humidity short of having a dehumidifier.

I was going to say the same..... and, it's really not difficult to lower the humidity in the bator itself, it can be done with those few items listed....


@AmyLynn, I'm from the Fort Worth area, a small town just west, Mineral Wells. I was in the Army in Germany and some missionary friends of mine suggested that I attend a Bible college out here in Portland when I got out. So I did, but I missed being in the military, so I joined the AF Reserve and was offered a full time civil service position. The economy was tanking, so I took the job, thinking I'd use it as a stepping stone and transfer to Texas later on. As I started the process, Tony, my SO, asked me not to leave - he's really too good for me and I know I'd never find another like him, so I stayed (he can't handle Texas heat

).... I don't think I'll ever feel at home here and the weather is hard on me. I know it takes all types, but I don't know how anyone could enjoy this

Texas does have some good things going for it - and a few challenges too, it isn't Utopia

, but it's close

... You should make some connections down there and go for a visit!

My apologies for hi-jacking the thread, I'll shut up now!

 

[birdeo]

Quote:
that's quite true, I do have one so that's what I do....solves the problem in relatively short order in addition to opening my bator vents more ( which OP said he could not do ) and /or taking some of the water out of the bator, of course.
They can also bump up the air circulation in the room via a fan but don't let the fan blow on/at the bator.
You really do have to control the room's ambient temp. and humidity for that bator to function properly.

Also per those dehumidifying beads or whatever they are, if they put off any kind of fume due to the excess heat of the bator they " could be" toxic but honestly, I don't know what they're made of so not sure that would be a concern. Those eggs have pores, those pores take in air and fumes .

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I was going to say the same..... and, it's really not difficult to lower the humidity in the bator itself, it can be done with those few items listed....


@AmyLynn, I'm from the Fort Worth area, a small town just west, Mineral Wells. I was in the Army in Germany and some missionary friends of mine suggested that I attend a Bible college out here in Portland when I got out. So I did, but I missed being in the military, so I joined the AF Reserve and was offered a full time civil service position. The economy was tanking, so I took the job, thinking I'd use it as a stepping stone and transfer to Texas later on. As I started the process, Tony, my SO, asked me not to leave - he's really too good for me and I know I'd never find another like him, so I stayed (he can't handle Texas heat

).... I don't think I'll ever feel at home here and the weather is hard on me. I know it takes all types, but I don't know how anyone could enjoy this

Texas does have some good things going for it - and a few challenges too, it isn't Utopia

, but it's close

... You should make some connections down there and go for a visit!

My apologies for hi-jacking the thread, I'll shut up now!

I do have an old work friend down there in the Houston.......lol I heard that the state itself had very differed climates depending on where you were located.

that's quite true, I do have one so that's what I do....solves the problem in relatively short order in addition to opening my bator vents more ( which OP said he could not do ) and /or taking some of the water out of the bator, of course.
They can also bump up the air circulation in the room via a fan but don't let the fan blow on/at the bator.
You really do have to control the room's ambient temp. and humidity for that bator to function properly.

Also per those dehumidifying beads or whatever they are, if they put off any kind of fume due to the excess heat of the bator they " could be" toxic but honestly, I don't know what they're made of so not sure that would be a concern. Those eggs have pores, those pores take in air and fumes .

I run dry and keep my vents open 24/7 and with the outside humidity 65-80% I usually can keep the humidity down at least 30%. Everything is upstairs, which is much warmer than the downstairs, so I do usually have a fan going. The styros especially are very susceptible to outside temps and humidity and a steady room temp and humidity levels are a must for high hatch rates.

One of our hatchers on here used the charcoal/carbon dehumidifying beads successfully w/o harm to her chicks.

I looked into the dehumidifiers for our basement of the past house we lived in and OMG....they are pricey.

 

[n8ivetxn]

Here in tiny little Elma, we're in a microclimate, so I bought a home weather station.... my indoor humidity is at 56% and outside it's 85%. When I first ran my bator for testing, the humidity soared up to 60%, but then it came down to around 27%.... About the 4th day after setting eggs, I got up one morning and humidity was 20%. I was a bit surprised. I have a small water well, right now.. I think I'll be challenged to raise the humidity at day 18, I could kick myself for taking the raised floor & pan out.

I also have my vent holes open all the time. I don't use them to regulate temp or humidity. I have sort of a small bator, it probably has enough floor space to set 3, 18 count cartons - with no space left over. For vent holes, I put one 3/16" hole on each side, top and bottom - so, 8 holes total. I worry there's not enough ventilation, but then I read posts where people don't open them at all, EVER!

I have a hard time wrapping my head around that! Wouldn't their hatch rates improve if the chicks could breath!?

AmyLynn: Yes, Texas has a lot of different geographic and temperate zones.... almost something for everyone.... I have relatives in Houston, the humidity can be unreal at times! I like the weather and greenery of east TX, soil is good for growing stuff and lots of (deciduous!) trees....In the central, "Hill Country" area, there's gorgeous, rolling hills and rock outcrops, awesome lakes, but the soil is thin and a little hard...West TX, has the Big Bend area, high Alpine type climate, but really low populations....Amarillo is cattle country, with rolling hills and grass prairies - and there's a nice canyon out that way too, they have cold, snowy winters - lots of wind out there, due to lack of trees....

 

[birdeo]

I worry there's not enough ventilation, but then I read posts where people don't open them at all, EVER!

I have a hard time wrapping my head around that! Wouldn't their hatch rates improve if the chicks could breath!?

without a doubt...the better the air flow/exchange the better the hatch will be .

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Here in tiny little Elma, we're in a microclimate, so I bought a home weather station.... my indoor humidity is at 56% and outside it's 85%. When I first ran my bator for testing, the humidity soared up to 60%, but then it came down to around 27%.... About the 4th day after setting eggs, I got up one morning and humidity was 20%. I was a bit surprised. I have a small water well, right now.. I think I'll be challenged to raise the humidity at day 18, I could kick myself for taking the raised floor & pan out.

I also have my vent holes open all the time. I don't use them to regulate temp or humidity. I have sort of a small bator, it probably has enough floor space to set 3, 18 count cartons - with no space left over. For vent holes, I put one 3/16" hole on each side, top and bottom - so, 8 holes total. I worry there's not enough ventilation, but then I read posts where people don't open them at all, EVER!

I have a hard time wrapping my head around that! Wouldn't their hatch rates improve if the chicks could breath!?

AmyLynn: Yes, Texas has a lot of different geographic and temperate zones.... almost something for everyone.... I have relatives in Houston, the humidity can be unreal at times! I like the weather and greenery of east TX, soil is good for growing stuff and lots of (deciduous!) trees....In the central, "Hill Country" area, there's gorgeous, rolling hills and rock outcrops, awesome lakes, but the soil is thin and a little hard...West TX, has the Big Bend area, high Alpine type climate, but really low populations....Amarillo is cattle country, with rolling hills and grass prairies - and there's a nice canyon out that way too, they have cold, snowy winters - lots of wind out there, due to lack of trees....

Raised floor with the pan under is a nice floor plan. Um, 3 18 egg cartons doesn't sound sort of small to me...lol The styros hold 42 eggs w/turner and a bit more w/o.

Cattle country sounds nice.... lol

without a doubt...the better the air flow/exchange the better the hatch will be .

xs 2.

Without the air at hatch time you risk the chicks dying. I have both my vents open for the whole incubation, but if I wasn't going to have them open for incubation, I'd definitely have both open for hatch. That's crazy not to provide air.

 

[birdeo]

Quote:
Good advice!
Definitely have those vents open as much as you can the whole time. Excellent air flow and exchange at all times cannot be stressed enough .
Those eggs have pores for a reason... they
NEED RESPIRATION the entire time. Respiration ; a process in living organisms that involve the production of energy, typically with the intake of oxygen and the release of carbon dioxide . ( eggs put off a LOT of C02 during incubation, get that good air in and bad air out) !
To keep those vents open as much as you can will affect your humidity ...and temp. somewhat... but you can make amends to correct those variables .