humidity dropping too low when I unplug one plug

[arinann]

hello all I need some help please. This is my very first hatch and I am learning as I go. I am using the little giant still air incubator. I read temp should be around 102 degrees and humidity 50-60 degrees. Today was our first day of putting the eggs in. The directions say to unplug the plug closest to the temp reading. but when I do this the humidity drops too low , about 45, despite the water craters being full. Any ideas? Do I need to unplug the plug right now or can it wait? I have 2 plugs and I realize the second one needs to be unplugged closer to hatching. Thank you!

 

[feedman77]

Ok.

First don't trust the humidity on the display. Know for notoriously for being wrong.

Also always double check the display thermo reading a thermometer that is know to be accurite.

Since it is your first day incubating unless you live in extremely dry area you should have little to no water in your bator. Full channels are for hatching. If your humidity is too high for the first 18 days the eggs won't lose enough moisture and if they go to pip they will probably drown.

What seems to work for me is dry incubation. Keep humidity at around 25 percent for first 18 days. Then raise to 65-70 for hatch.

I keep both plugs out the entire time. I want good ventilation.

Are you using the 9200 or 9300?

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Agreed, 50-60% humidity is likely to give you a lot of dead in shell chicks.

I also run dry, around 30-40% the first 18 days. Then I bump the humidity to somewhere around 60-70% for hatch time. I also keep both plugs out the entire time. I actually have lost most of my plugs, I have 1 left for 2 incubators.


ALWAYS CALIBRATE YOUR INSTRUMENTS! I'm not screaming (promise), but this is SUCH an important step and most folks skip over it.

Good luck, happy hatching!

 

[arinann]

wow thanks guys! I have been reading everywhere to keep the humidity at 50-60 the whole time. There is so much info out there and so confusing. I guess I need to buy some more instruments to test the temp and humidity? I am using the 9300

 

[feedman77]

Not gonna say it's that way with all of them. But I had to set mine at about 3 degrees higher to get the temp I was looking for.

I double check my temp with a brinsea spot check. Accurate to .1 degree.

Good luck. On your future hatch.

 

[AKchicken1]

This is our 2nd year with a 10300. Calibrated with a known good thermometer, both were very close somewhere circa day 18 or 19 the thermometers diverged significantly and my trusted thermometer was reading 102 to 106. Only 8 of 42 hatched so far. We are on day 24 now and planning to float the remainders today and check for life, but we pretty much know what we will see, no movement. I purchased yet another thermometer hygrometer today and stuck it in the incubator. The 10300 now reads about 3.5 degrees too cool, humidity is spot on though. Anyway, never take your eyes off of your auxiliary thermometers or, like with us and this brood, you may be very disappointed. This incubator was a pain last year as well, though much more successful than this year. Unfortunately, if this next batch goes poorly that will be it for me and LG incubators.

Sorry to hijack, just want to emphasize the importance of never trusting your electronic temp display on your incubator.

 

[AKchicken1]

We run dry until day 18 as well, then bump to 65% or so.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I run dry up to lockdown as long as it's above 25%. If not I add a wet sponge andit usually holds it around 30%. I also don't have my vent plugs either. I prefer 30% first 17 days and then 70-75% for hatch.

 

[arinann]

Ok so am I in trouble if the humidity has been around 45-50 so far ? I'm on day 10 incubation. I originally filled the water tanks to get humidity up but after reading all this left both plugs out and now I'm about 45-50 humidity. Should I drain water out of tanks? Leave be? Thanks all so much.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Ok so am I in trouble if the humidity has been around 45-50 so far ? I'm on day 10 incubation. I originally filled the water tanks to get humidity up but after reading all this left both plugs out and now I'm about 45-50 humidity. Should I drain water out of tanks? Leave be? Thanks all so much.

I'm uncomfortable with anything over 40% usually. The best way you can answer this question is to candle the eggs and look at the air cell. If the air cell is smaller than it should be, I would take the water out and run dry. Here's a little more info and a chart to compare with: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity