Humidity in Bator...EXCELLENT INFO HERE! EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS!

[greathorse]

Are they rockin and rollin Jamie? Boy oh boy we need good vibes here. Been waiting on the excellent quality Marans for a long time. Did a little hatch dance earlier. No one would want to see that LOL

 

[spookychick]

Quote:
spookychick they should be fine with the others,with that many eggs in the bator they also get moisture from each other. Just try to increase your room humidity up some if you can. Let us know how your hatch goes as I am putting greathorses in tonight getting ready for a sunday hatch. They are black coppers and wheaton marans so we both have wheatons on the way. Good luck

Thanks. I'll leave them where they are then. I put the humidifier in my incubation room, so that should bring the RH up nicely. My Marans are due to hatch on St. Patrick's Day. Thought that might bring some extra luck. Best of luck on your hatch, too!

 

[Jamie821]

No Paul they are not rocking and rolling yet maybe some saturday night. Sure I would like to see your hatching dance cant be any worse then mine, Watch here starting saturday and when they start hatching will post a pic if I can get where you can see in the sportsman without all the glare. Call me anytime you want to check on progress as I dont leave when the eggs are hatching. Hope to give you good news soon they are now in hatcher

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Alrighty then, I'm about to put two dozen eggs into the 'bator.

It's a styrofoam Hovabator and my eggs are Black Sex Links and Trader Joe's (teehee).

So, based on advice in this thread, I'm thinking of maintaining RH at 42-48%for days 1-17 and then 50-55% for the hatch. My elevation is about 300'.

Does this sound close to logical? Should I allow the RH to drop a little lower before adding water?

My previous hatches have all been s[pi]t, so I've really got nothing to go on but this thread. I do have a gram scale so I can weigh the eggs at some interval(s) and adjust RH a bit. At what point should I weigh the eggs after the start of incubation?

Also, I'm not quite sure what to do about the two plugs on the top of the 'bator. GQF's instructions are to leave them plugged until the peeps hatch, then to open them in order to assist in drying the peeps. There has been some discussion of removing one or both plugs though, so does anybody have any advice on that?

 

[Jamie821]

I would run my humidity a little lower the first eighteen days in a styrofoam incubator. NO higher then 40 and dont add water till it goes down to 25. Also in a styrofoam leave the plugs out as it gets humidity from your air and you need air flow over the eggs. I wouldnt weigh until each candling. You can also watch air sac size to determine. The last three days run your humidity not over sixty and average about 58, I really think 50 is to low and can cause dry chicks. I dont go under 55 but like the average of 58 not to wet and not to dry. Also do not open bator after you put them in for hatch the last three days.

 

[Jamie821]

Hi all Wheaties is taking a opinon poll on his website www.backwoodspoultryfarm.com on everyones opinion of shipping eggs so anyone that can he would like them to go there and vote on their choice so he can make a decision on who he wants to ship. The opinion poll will be there until march 9th. Thanks all

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

Thank you, Jamie!

I'm going to go ahead and weigh the eggs, number them, and place them into the 'bator at the RH levels you've just recommended.

One thing though, the air around here has very, very low RH (California). Do you still think I should leave both plugs out? I'll start out that way.

Based on the RH levels I've been seeing lately, in my empty 'bator with various troughs filled, I'm pretty sure the RH in my previous hatches was probably < 25% for days 1-17 and <50% for 18-21. Those hatches were pathetic. I've gotten a few beautiful peeps from them, but the overall hatch rates were absurdly low.

edit: ps, I just emailed Buddy regarding his survey.

 

[Jamie821]

I run a humidifier in my bator room to up my room humidity to 50% so that helps alot. If your humidity was around 25 the first eighteen days then your eggs evaporated to much fluid. At the end of the first eighteen days air sack should be about one quarter of the egg. I would put one plug in if you have to get the humidity up some. During hatch put a sponge in your bator under the wire under the back plug and wet with warm water through the vent hole with a syringe and straw if you need to get the humidity up some.

 

[1Chick Magnet]

Quote:
can you calibrate a digital hydrometer? I have 2 and they both read different

 

[CARS]

Quote:
I picked up 2 Acurite units last week and while the temp readings were the same 99% of the time (only off by one degree when they were off) the humidity readings were way off to each other.
For the heck of it I gave my wife one of them and I kept the other and we breathed on them till they pegged out at 99%.
It took a little bit for the humidity readings to drop but ever since they have been within a percent of each other!!