Humidity too high....trouble getting in down

[lizrndiver]

I just started my first hatch and though my temps are stable at 99 degrees, I can't keep my humidity down.

It started out at 50%, then went up to 65%. I put some foil over part of the water reservoir.

It went back down to 50%, now it is back up to 60%.

I guess I can keep adding more foil until the humidity is in the right range, but how often can I open the incubator?

Is there a better way to do humidity than using the plastic reservoir in the liner?

Thanks,

Liz

 

[kid-n-chickens]

I am gonna venture to guess that you are using a hovabator to hatch with. When I first set mine up it takes a day or two for the humidity to balance out. I would wait and see if after 2-3 days if it balances out. You have 14 days to get it down, as long as the air sac is the size of a half dollar at lock down you are good to go. The one thing I have learned is that these are all guidlelines but it no where near has to be perfect just get it close and you will be good. Last hatch i got 14 out of 15 and my humidity was to high at times and then to low. Make sure it doesn't run dry. I dont know that the foil is gonna do you any good b/c the water surface area underneath is still exposed to the warm air in the bator causing evaporation. If it gets way to high you could try lifting up one of the windows, just enough to create a crack it wont take much. But you may have to adjust the temp as well. Have you callibrated your hygrometer if not here is instructions how to do so http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer.htm

As far as opening the bator I dont think it matters as much right now b/c mainly it will just affect the humidity and temp and the temp will recover quickly.


If after a few days it doesn't drop you can remove the water from the tray and put a wet sponge on the tray this will reduce the surface area.

Good LUCK! BTW what did you set I just set some americanas today!

 

[lizrndiver]

Thanks for all the info.

Yes it is a Hoverbator Genesis. I did calibrate the hygrometer, 2 of them 3 times each using the salt method. I got 65% pretty consistently. So that would mean it runs 10% low (right?).

I guess in nature the mom is up and down off the nest a bit. I have to keep that in mind. I set 36 Coturnix quail eggs. It is actually my husbands project, but if it got him to by an incubator I'm all in. He's already talking about how we can try some chicken eggs next

Good luck with your hatch. Americaunas....awesome.

Liz

 

[raimnel]

can you take water out?? with a straw through a hole (if there is one). I don't have a clue about any 'bator except mine which is home made.

and that's how I do it

 

[kid-n-chickens]

I dont know anything about hatching quail. Hows the humidity doing tonight? We are suppose to get rain tomarrow and I have noticed mine is going up into the 60's again.