humidity help pls

[rachelchick]

I am a nebie with lil giant bator and I need help with getting humid up to 70 temp is at 99.9 to 101 and i only set 3 eggs ...1 hatched lived 2 days wouldnt eat he had umbilical probs and died today...other 2 eggs are on day 20 and no sign of pipping, im worried my humid is too low or high how can I get an accurate reading on this its driving me nuts here...iv also set 6 more eggs each set to hatch a day or so apart...candled and so far 4 fertile of 6 w movement...some one pls help...

 

[kstaven]

You need a good hygrometer to measure humidity. If the yolk sac was not absorbed the humidity was likely too high. You didn't say if fan or still air. Humidity during the first 18 days?

You may also want to check out the learning center on the BYC site. Good information there.

 

[PurpleChicken]

Your temp is too high if your chick hatched 2 days ago. Day 18?

You do need a better thermometer and hygrometer. You can get basic
ones in pet stores. Get a water weasel too.

 

[rachelchick]

still air incubator, i had a thermometer w digital temp and humidity but maybe its faulty...you said i need a hygrometer where do i get one???...i cracked open one of the last 2 eggs from this clutch and chick had feqthers..fully dev... but was dead...

...i hav a feelin that the last egg has suffered the same fate...although my other 6 eggs I started a few days apart are all alive and hav good embryotic movmnt...temp at steady 101 but fluxes as h2o is added iv had to run a vaporizer in incu room cuz i hav base board elec heat dries out the house...any way what do you think my prob is?? yolk sac was fully absorp in this last dead un pipped chik..????

 

[kstaven]

I noted in another forum you where explaining other details. If you get condensation on the panels and your hygrometer is not reading at least 85 and up you can bet it is faulty.

The egg you broke open likely had a LARGE chick in it. To big to turn and not enough air cell.

 

[Tsagirl]

hmmm I wonder if I will be having the same problem? Some eggs I have in my incubator are almost to the air sac already and its only day 18!!!!
I wonder if I should sprits the eggs with water1?!?!? I dont want to kill them and I have water in 2 of the bators water slots.

 

[Jayare's Chicks]

You can also add a sponge during those last 3 days when you need the humidity up higher. Just add a sponge in a bowl with water in there and that should help bring up the humidity level.

Jayare

 

[jimnjay]

I am worried about your final 6 eggs. You should not stagger a hatch unless you have some place to remove the developing eggs or the hatching eggs. The humidity requirements are different at different stages of incubation and the developing eggs will be affected by to much or to little humidity. 45-50% days 1-18 and 65-70% days 19-21. When chickens hatch the incubator gets pretty nasty, the water is stale and now has fuzz and shell and it becomes a breeding ground for all sorts of bacteria.

If it were me, I would go to Walmart and buy a good Therm/Hygro around $ 14.00. Now you will not be guessing about humidity. If your final eggs are not in the final 3 days, you could find a warm spot, box with a light over head and possibly a damp cloth or spong near. Keep them there till you can throughly clean you incubator and get it back up to 101 degrees with the proper humidity for that stage of development. It may take several hours. When you add water to the incubator it should be warm to help keep temps steady.

It is a toss up of what will be more damaging to the eggs, If you can keep them warm enough during the time it takes to clean you incubator then you stand a good chance of getting a healthy hatch. Like I said that is just my opinion. You may be ok to leave things alone.

 

[rachelchick]

i do believe you are right kstaven that peep was huge and almosy filled entire egg, there was an air cell ...i do think my thermo digi is faulty im getting a new one 2 day temp is steady 101 now...the last chik did not make a mess i had a smal pan in bator w cheesecloth that i took out and cleaned...all h2o channels in bottom of my bator are full and I have a smal bowl of h2o in bator...humidity still reads low on digi...i have a reg bulb thermo in bator too..as a backup temp...maybe next batch I should set all of my eggs at the same time does it really mater???? my eggs are only 1 day apart..egg 1 @ 12 days ...egg 2 @ 13 days... and so on...i marked eggs w pencil x o date so i know when to ecpect hatchers...reason for stagger is my hens layin slowed and i was having a hard time getting clean..warm eggs it is cold here and they really cold by the time i get to em..i cleaned coop and added straw..hens and roosties are dry and happy with light on.. ill be at feed store later to get hygro/temp and more cheesecloth...we hav well h2o should I opt for pure h20 in bator? i hav been using pure h20 so far...thanx for help and advice all....

 

[lannabun]

You can also add a sponge during those last 3 days when you need the humidity up higher. Just add a sponge in a bowl with water in there and that should help bring up the humidity level.

thats what i do to and i have a lil gaint . also its not uncommand to have eggs hatch at day 18 or 19 or 20 .. me i useally get them hatching then and nothings worng ... with them ..