hydgrometer & vent plug question?

[janieschicks]

Ok, my eggs came this am, they go in tonight, I ran to town to pick up my egg turner and a temp/hygrometer, its wireless so I can watch the display where ever I am in the house, also stuck another digital one in the window of the bator, The humidity was too high so I poured most of the water out, its still reading 47% humidity? I also pulled both vent plugs, now when it stabilizes should I put the plugs back in or leave them out for fresh air? Im suppose to know this but I'm getting nervous since its getting close to the time to put my eggs in! geez humidity just went to 48%! I dont know why its still going up?

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

If I were you, I'd wait until tomorrow morning to put the eggs in, to make sure you have things stable first. 48% is ok. It will drop. If you are doing the "dry" incubation method, wait until it hits 25%-ish to add more water. What kind of incubator are you usind? Is it forced or still air? If it has 2 vent plugs, you will probably leave 1 out, but we need more info first.

 

[janieschicks]

thank you, its a still air hovabator 1602N. The humidity is up to 52% now. Should I go ahead and dump out the rest of the water, it only has about 1/4 to 1/2 cup in it.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

With all the dumping and sloshing, you probably have water UNDER the tray. Take everything out, dry it out as best you can, plug it back in, and run it dry for a couple of hours. Then fill only the trough the directions tell you to fill, and fill it to the top, it's about surface area, not quantity of water. How was your temp doing?

 

[janieschicks]

They are still registering, its about 101 from the one i believe is most reliable.

 

[Cloverleaf Farm]

Quote:
perfect.

 

[Penturner]

If you are spreading the water around when you "Dump" the water. you are increasing the surface area of the water. this will cause the humidity to rise until all those extra surfaces dry out.

 

[janieschicks]

It seems to be stabilizing now, humidity around 31 and temps about 100. I wanted to try the dryer hatch method,
http://www.pekinbantams.com/dryincubation.php especially since I have a bator and its Styrofoam. Just curious which is worse, temps a little high or low?

 

[D'Angelo N Va.]

My question is after the chickens start hatchig, I was told to not open the incubator, will I take the vent plugs out then or will that cause shrink wrapping of the chicks?????

 

[janieschicks]

I read to keep the vent plugs in during hatching, if to much moisture gets on the windows then turn one plug upside down over the hole and check each hour to see moisture goes down.