Humidity question in the Brinsea Octagon Eco 20

[hd_darcy]

Where do you have your vent set at if hatching in the Brinsea Octagon Eco 20? I have that cheap wal-mart hygrometer in there and I do not trust it...at all..

.. I have the vent open about 75% and I am still getting like a 50% humidity reading.. (well 40%, but when I calibrated it, it said it was off 10 degrees). And sometimes the temp on wal-mart's one stays consistent at 99.6, then all of a sudden it will say 97 degrees, but the one that came with the incubator hasn't changed. I'm sure the wal-mart one is in the wrong. However, I'm getting worried about the humidity aspect of it. Please tell me where you keep your vent at approximately. Our house is not very humid since we have central air. And, I have one channel filled w/ water.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Denninmi]

75% should be ok, but I wouldn't go less than that. More would actually be better if you keep keep the humidity high enough. I keep mine at 100% open during hatching, since they need more oxygen at this stage than they did earlier. But I have the EX with the humdiity pump, so it's easier for me to regulate humidity. If you're having trouble getting the humidity up, put a warm, wet washcloth or sponge in there, that really helps a lot, makes it go up fast.

I've actually read that oxygen deprivation from improper ventilation is one of the top 2 or 3 reasons for late death of chicks in the last day or so of the hatching process.