I opened the incubator. ..now what?m

[WVweaver]

After the fact, I don't know what to do. I have 5 ducklings pipping and I have been opening the incubator to check on them. Then I read several posts saying it'll mess with the humidity. Now what should i do? I saw a post tha t said to wrap eggs in damp paper towel, except for pipping hole. Yes or no?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

After the fact, I don't know what to do. I have 5 ducklings pipping and I have been opening the incubator to check on them. Then I read several posts saying it'll mess with the humidity. Now what should i do? I saw a post tha t said to wrap eggs in damp paper towel, except for pipping hole. Yes or no?

What was your humidity before you opened it and what was it after? If your humidity wasn't adequate then it could cause problems,(that's could, not will, the chances are slim either way unless you have real low humidity,) if it was up 70+ and you didn't hold it open for a long amount of time and it regained humidity quickly, you should be ok. I open frequently during hatch with no ill effects. (I remove chicks, eggs and rearrange pippers.) I also run my humidity at 75% to stay in a safe zone when I open and I make sure it recovers quickly after. Sometimes that means re wetting a spong, but usually w/in a couple minutes it's right back to 70%+. Many of us are NOT hands off and do open the bator during hatch (successfully I might add). It's a matter of taking precaustions and makng sure your humidity comes right back up after. I only use paper towels to wrap an egg if I am assisting a hatch and have increased the size of the pip hole. If you need to up the humidity you can wet a paper towel and scrunch it up and add it to the bator for a little extra moisture.

 

[WVweaver]

My incubator is all automatic so I don't know what the humidity was. But the inner membrane looked dry so i wrapped each egg in damp paper towel for 1 minute in bator, unwrapped and put corner of 1/2 paper towel in full well, closed lid and left alone. This morning I have 5 perfect little ducklings. So, right or wrong...the ending was great. Thanks for answering.

 

[bigbruce]

You need a temp/humidity guage.Often times we are the prob with low hatch rates.We get excited and can't leave the bator alone.Everytime you open it you lose temp and humidity which causes the membrane to dry and chicks die.Open bator as little as possible and add a wet paper towel or sponge when you have to

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You need a temp/humidity guage.Often times we are the prob with low hatch rates.We get excited and can't leave the bator alone.Everytime you open it you lose temp and humidity which causes the membrane to dry and chicks die.Open bator as little as possible and add a wet paper towel or sponge when you have to

I totally disagree. It all depends on where your humidity is. Opening the bator can be safely done during hatch will no ill effects if you have your humidity in a safe zone. and you make sure it recovers quickly after opening it. Of course if you are opening at hatch when it's only 60% you have a greater CHANCE of causing problems. Many of us are very hands on during hatch with no ill effects. I am a meddler and constantly in my bator to remove chicks, shells, and if I have a malepositioned chick and feel it needs attention, I do that too not to mention the fact that I keep all pippers pointed up. BUT, I keep my humidity up, I keep a close eye on it while I'm fussing and I make sure that it recovers quickly after.

I do agree that often times we are the problem with low hatch rates. Many of those are not having a checked instrament and trusting something that is reading wrong and not having the proper humidity during incubation. Another big problem is hatchers assisting too soon, or when it is not even necessary.

Everyone has different methods and as long as they are working no one should critize them. Hands off people are more comfortable being hands off, that's great. Some of us are comfortable (with the same resuts) being hands on. And that's great too.

 

[WVduckchick]

I totally disagree. It all depends on where your humidity is. Opening the bator can be safely done during hatch will no ill effects if you have your humidity in a safe zone. and you make sure it recovers quickly after opening it. Of course if you are opening at hatch when it's only 60% you have a greater CHANCE of causing problems. Many of us are very hands on during hatch with no ill effects.  I am a meddler and constantly in my bator to remove chicks, shells, and if I have a malepositioned chick and feel it needs attention, I do that too not to mention the fact that I keep all pippers pointed up. BUT, I keep my humidity up, I keep a close eye on it while I'm fussing and I make sure that it recovers quickly after.

I do agree that often times we are the problem with low hatch rates. Many of those are not having a checked instrament and trusting something that is reading wrong and not having the proper humidity during incubation. Another big problem is hatchers assisting too soon, or when it is not even necessary.

Everyone has different methods and as long as they are working no one should critize them. Hands off people are more comfortable being hands off, that's great. Some of us are comfortable (with the same resuts) being hands on. And that's great too.

X2!

 

[bigbruce]

I'm not saying my way is the only way but over 40 years of raising chickens and steady 90% hatch rates tells me my way is pretty good.I also build and sell incubators and the only people that have probs are the ones that can't quit messing with them is my experience

 

[lazy gardener]

I've read plenty of threads by people who have failed hatches. And from my reading, most often it's because they haven't calibrated their thermometer(s) to 100 degrees, they are not familiar with how their incubator works (in terms of warm/cold spots, fan vs. still air) or they run their humidity too high. IMO, Hatching 101 in the learning center should be required reading before plugging an incubator in.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I've read plenty of threads by people who have failed hatches. And from my reading, most often it's because they haven't calibrated their thermometer(s) to 100 degrees, they are not familiar with how their incubator works (in terms of warm/cold spots, fan vs. still air) or they run their humidity too high. IMO, Hatching 101 in the learning center should be required reading before plugging an incubator in.

xs 2.

I just finished my last hatch at 100% from lockdown and 95% (only one blood ring egg) from set. Hatch before this hatch was 92%, I also have great hatches and I'm the poster girl for meddling. Plus I use an lg 9200 bator. So it tells me that my way is just as good.

I know many hands off hatchers that have one bad hatch after another. Usually it ends up being humidity or temps.

 

[WVduckchick]

@bigbruce I'm glad your way works for you, but I'm glad you recognize that its not the only way. People have to find what they are comfortable with and see other opinions. There are too many factors beyond our control that also come into play to say that meddlers are wrong. Plenty of meddlers have just as good of hatches as you do. JMHO