Humidity issues in Incubator for Call Ducks

[cackleberrylinda]

Hi
I am having a hard time getting the humidity up in my incubator. any tips? It's a Brower and the first time I have hatched duck eggs. Been a long time since I have hatched anything. Anyway, I can't get the humidity over 29% and I really want to get my call duck eggs going before it's just too darned late. I have a dish in there with water in it. Why oh why did I ever think hatching calls was a good idea? I guess I was more optimistic that day than I am right now. I'm actually scared to do this. Is that silly or what?
Thanks for any advice you have for me.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I had to google the brand of incubator as I had never heard of it - but wonder about you saying that you have a dish of water in there. My incubators have a tray to fill for water..but I often need to put in extra to raise the humidity- Is there some kind of try or area to put water in this type of incubator- or is the dish you have in there the only water that is providing the humidity??

I will continue with my google search about this kind of bator as my previous search only came up with pictures and not instructions for use. I will see what else I can find out for you.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I did find this thread on here that you might find handy.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=223640

Apart form that- I still didnt find anything much on the internet about the unit. Maybe someone who has used one will see this and chime in.

 

[Sweetfolly]

Pile wet washcloths or paper towels in there - anyplace you can fit them. That's what I do in my Brinsea Ocatgon 20 - if the water channels aren't getting the humidity high enough, I put washcloths under the tray, and I even pile them around the edges of the egg tray. You'll get more evaporation area if you kind of crumple them up - you want to expose as much surface area as possible.

The trouble is, I only do that at hatch time...if you're doing it for regular incubation, the washcloths are going to dry out pretty quick, and you'll have to be attentive to re-wetting them for the entire 4 weeks. But it's worth is for Call ducklings, right?

 

[cackleberrylinda]

So, do you think it would not be a good thing to lay the eggs directly on the wet towel? And would it be okay to not keep the humidity up till hatch time? I guess I will get good at this hatching thing,,,, oh maybe by the time I'm 90, and then, hey! hopefully there's still more to learn.

 

[cackleberrylinda]

There is galvanized dish about 5-6 inches across under the wire grid that the eggs sit on. It's a great old incubator. I had one back in the early 90s and I am so glad to have one again. I also have a Havo bator that I haven't used because I am leery of it not adjusting the heat properly. Any one out there have one and have you used it successfully. I guess there are quite a few models of that brand. If the model matters, I will look it up.

 

[geebs]

mist them every 4 days with a water bottle sprayer and on day 18 put a dish of water in it