hydrometer off by 10%!

[perfectly_polish]

I have eggs going in the hatcher tomorrow and I was setting it up and I have 2 hydrometers and one will be reading 41% and the other will be reading 51%. I though maybe it was because they were in different spots, but I even put them right next to eachother. So which one do I trust? One is a flukers and the other one is this kind.. http://www.cutlersupply.com/store/item.0458.html

 

[Crunchie]

I quit trusting my hygrometers alltogether after one too many "sticky" hatches, where my chicks would pip, try to zip, and get shrink-wrapped in the membrane even though they would say my humidity was 60-70%

Day 18 I fill all the trays, put a few wet paper towels (I usually hatch in egg cartons; I'll put wadded up paper towels in any extra holes) in there (I know a lot of people use sponges, too) and make sure not to open the 'bator again!! I use a straw and syringe (high-tech, huh?

) to add hot water through the vent holes after day 18. If I have moisture condensating on the window, I know I'm good. No droplets of water on the window, I add more hot water to the 'bator. I also periodically make sure my paper towels are damp. So far this has worked better than going off of the hygrometers!

For me, and I know it can be different for different people in different climates, etc., it works best to err on the side of not enough humidity the first 17-18 days and too much the last 3.

 

[heritagebirds]

I have read of a method of calibrating a hygrometer... it involves moistening salt in a small cap and sealing it with the hygrometer in a ziploc baggie. It is supposed to produce humidity of 75.5%... If your hygrometer is adjustable, you can set it for the correct %age. I got one that is adjustable from www pipestuff.com. They sell cigars stuff, hence the name.

 

[Davaroo]

I too prefer the cigar humidor hygrometers.

You could average the two and call it good. You dont need laboratory grade precision with humidity - it cant hurt, but isnt needed.

 

[chickenshadow]

My Flukers vary a lot. If I put all three of mine in a bator none are the same.

Be wary of Flukers. Try and find a wetbulb if you can.

 

[equus2]

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/herpresources/ss/hygrometer_4.htm

Here's the link to calibrating hygrometers. Time for me to do it again.