Humidity levels

[Purplepansie]

Hi all, I'm on day 18 of incubation and had hoped to just stop the rotating and leave well alone. The only thing that bothers me is that although I have the two gullies under the incubator full of water and also a dish of water in the incubator (with a well packed in cloth that has soaked all the liquid up for safety reasons) my humidity level appears to be reading around 35% which is way too low. I have checked the hygrometer (as somebody suggested on here) by placing it in an airtight bag with a cap full of salt paste to check the reading, now this is reading 67%, so that leads me to believe the incubator is not getting enough humidity....help! What can I do at this late stage, I have been so patient but now I just don't know what is the best thing to do. Can anybody offer any information please?

 

[cameronfarm]

Whats the make and model of your incubator? Humidity is increased by exposing a larger surface area of water to heat either by filling more of the pan or increasing wicks.

 

[Purplepansie]

Hi, thanks for replying. I have a fairly old Brinsea Octagon 20...not the one with the digital readout on top, it only has a thermometer in it which you can't read from the outside anyway, so I purchased a digital thermometer/hygrometer but if you put the lead in through the lid, surely you are then going to cause even more problems with keeping humidity up as it could escape. I have plenty of liquid which can evaporate but it doesn't appear to be doing its job. Is it too late now to make some kind of wick?

 

[cameronfarm]

Sorry, I have no experience with those incubators, I dont know anything about how they are setup, where the humidity pan is, etc.

 

[Kilsharion]

Hi, thanks for replying. I have a fairly old Brinsea Octagon 20...not the one with the digital readout on top, it only has a thermometer in it which you can't read from the outside anyway, so I purchased a digital thermometer/hygrometer but if you put the lead in through the lid, surely you are then going to cause even more problems with keeping humidity up as it could escape. I have plenty of liquid which can evaporate but it doesn't appear to be doing its job. Is it too late now to make some kind of wick?

pieces of cut sponge will help increase the humidity. Just drop them in the water pan.

 

[Purplepansie]

Well all seems to be ok, I have left the incubator well alone, the humidity level has gone up as early yesterday I put a dish of water with a sponge soaked in it water and there is now a little condensation on the inside of the lid so I think its doing the job. I looked in about 20 minutes ago and found 4 of the eggs have pipped....OMG I can hardly believe it (don't know why because its nature after all), so I'm hoping by the end of today I should have at least one or two chicks (bearing in mind they may not all survive). I have Aracaunas and Ameraucanas, are these really very different? I keep seeing pics of each breed but there seems to be a large variety of colours, the Aracauna eggs are quite a bit smaller and are definately more blue in colour and dappled but the larger eggs are brownish, its the larger ones which are hatching at the moment.

 

[Kilsharion]

True Ameraucanas (at least the ones accorded SOP status) have a very limited number of colours. And, the eggs must be blue to gain "pure" status. Araucanas have tufts and no tail (rumpless). Ameraucanas have the cutest muffs and beard. They always make me think of little chipmunks when they look at me.

If you have any eggs that are "brownish" mark those chicks - they are not Ameraucana nor Araucana. They are some sort of cross.

 

[Purplepansie]

Well I ended up with 6 chicks which are all doing really well, they are now in a brooder and have fluffed up really nicely. There were four eggs left in the incubator but I'm pretty sure now there is no activity so they will have to be got rid of. The first batch of chicks hatched on Thursday and its now Sunday. Is there any chance they may still hatch? The incubator is still on as I haven't the heart to turn it off just yet.

 

[sbucciarel]

Well I ended up with 6 chicks which are all doing really well, they are now in a brooder and have fluffed up really nicely.  There were four eggs left in the incubator but I'm pretty sure now there is no activity so they will have to be got rid of. The first batch of chicks hatched on Thursday and its now Sunday. Is there any chance they may still hatch? The incubator is still on as I haven't the heart to turn it off just yet.

I've had a few eggs hatch as late as 3 days after they were supposed to, so I'd give them a chance.