Increasing humidy during lockdown in homemade incubator

[otis7]

So from all I read, I can't open the incubator for the last three days, but my problem is I have to add water daily to keep the humidity up, which involves opening the incubator. As you can see we are short on space. The two sponges coming out of the dish dry out daily. I have a 5 gallon pump sprayer I use to mist my plants. Would I be doing any harm if I cut a small hole in the side of the incubator, stuck the wand in and misted the sponges? I would probably try to stick the styrofoam back in the same hole to block it back up.

Also, should I extend the wire to cover the sponges? If so, that would make it harder to mist them. I'm worried about the chicks drowning in the water dish. How long do I wait before removing the chicks from the incubator to a brooder? (assuming they make it that far). I think only the front two eggs are fertile, I don't see anything in the far two. Should I water test the two I'm not sure about to make some more room for hatching? They are on day 13.

Sorry for all the questions, I'm getting nervous now. I just want this to be over!!!

 

[otis7]

Any advice? I'm trying to get as many modifications done as soon as possible as we approach lockdown. In ideal circumstances we would have had time to think this all out better, but our rooster was killed, and we sentimentally decided to try to hatch out some of his eggs.

 

[otis7]

Oh, and another question. When we drilled holes in the incubator, little bits of styrofoam scattered about. There are still crumbs in there. Should I worry about the chicks trying to eat them?

 

[Daedalus62]

Hi otis7,

If you're still in day 13, no problem... You can open you incubator and calmly do all your mods... Your eggs will be OK a few minutes outside the incubator... No problem...

I would:

1 - Vacuum all the styrofoam crumbs... Don't know if chicks will try to eat them, but...

2 - For the watering... Open a small hole in the side of the incubator and run a piece of tube/small diameter hose from the outside to the dish... Much easier to add water (without opening the lid) this way.

3 - I don't think there's any danger of your chicks drowning in there... The water surface you have is very small, but... Yes, you can isolate the eggs from the dish with a piece of mesh, if you want...

4 - You should transfer you chicks to the brooder when they're dry... You can keep them in the incubator up to 2 days, if you want.

5 - Keep calm

... It helps.


Hope this helps

Regards

 

[otis7]

Thank you! I am trying to stay calm, but good lawd its hard! Our incubator has had huge temp fluctuations so we've been up at various times through out the night trying to regulate it, and I think were going a little bonkers!

Would the hole for the sprayer nozzle be too big? I can't get the humidy right without those two upward facing sponges. Should I lay them on top of the other sponge so a small tube would work? I heard the more surface area the better, which is why I put them up, but they just dry out.

 

[Daedalus62]

You're welcome!!... Yes, in first hatches always a bit anxious I know

If you don't have a thermostat in there, it's hard to maintain temperature... Don't want to disappoint you, but the hatch success rate will be (very) low, with heavy temperature fluctuations.

Yes, you can open a hole for the sprayer nozzle and add water with it... Cover the hole afterwards so you don't loose humidity... A piece of tape will do.

I think you have more surface with the sponges like you have them now... They must be in the water (and not on top of each other) so they can better absorb water.

Can't you run a small tube directly to the water?... Stick it in the small spaces you have in there, between the sponges?...

Regards

 

[otis7]

The bowl with the main sponges stays almost full, but my upward facing sponges just don't seem to hold enough water. Maybe I'll try flipping them longways.

As far as our temperature fluctuations, were fairly sure nothing has been too extreme, but not positive. We still have two eggs with rapidly moving embryos. I'm unemployed so I've had plenty of time to watch the little buggers. We regulate temps with a towel on top of the bator, witch we fold back if anything gets above 100 or put on if it drops below 99. Our lowest temp was 90, when our bulb went out, but we got it back up within a half hour. Our highest temp was 104, which we also got back down within a half hour. Through out the day we stay safe in the 100 99 area, but at night or in the morning we occasionally go as high as 102 and as low as 97. We usually catch it quickly though. I am quite worried, isn't ideal by any means!

 

[Daedalus62]

I think your best bet (maximum exposed wet surface) will be the 3 sponges laying vertical on edge, separated from each other, with the long side inside the water... Something like this: l l l

Next time try getting an simple hot water thermostat... It's cheap, easy to wire and a great peace of mind!!

Hope your hatch is successful.

Cheers

 

[otis7]

I bumped this thread because it has a picture of my incubator. See how the eggs are into the rivets and right next to each other? How much do they need to wiggle/move around during hatching? If the wiggled now they would be bumping into each other. I'm scared to move them now because they did so well in these positions. (I'm down to two eggs now). Should I adjust them?

 

[Daedalus62]

I'm scared to move them now because they did so well in these positions...

I don't get it... Don't you turn you eggs?... At least 2/3 times a day?

Cheers