I have been spending hours searching through posts and can't seem to find what I need, so I decided to start a new thread. This is my first time incubating and really, I'm new to raising chickens (within the last 2 years). My husband has had chickens for years but he's lost on the topic too. Humidity. He got me for christmas a "FarmInnovators" incubator from Tractor Supply. It has auto turner, thermostat, humidity detector, digital countdown. Here's my issue as I see SO MANY different opinions. WE have had problems from day 1 with the humidity. The book it came with says to keep the humidity at 50-60% and when day 18 comes, open the caps off for more air, and raise the humidity to 60-70%.
We cannot keep the humidity steady. It's all over the place. We can start will the bottom tracks partially full of warm distilled water, and after about 8-10 hours, the humidity starts to drop. It's gone as low as 48%. We will add some water or maybe warm sponge, and then it goes up to the 70's! And the sponge is may 3X4 inch not saturated.
First off:
During the beginning, before candling at day 7 to check the air sacs, what does the humidity need to be?
After candling I'm assuming we go from there but still not sure of what it should be. Do I need to adjust as I go each candling session?
Secondly:
Day 18 and we take the eggs out of the turner and put them on the wire to hatch and within 4 hours they start hatching. It took 2 days for a total of 17 to hatch. My friend told me the temp was too high, but I never changed it -when the peeps started hatching we were at 68-70% humidity, temp never changes from 99.5 - 100.5 at most, usually 100. So was it too high??
All was going well, they were hatching and drying, and I was told to keep the incubator on lockdown. Well, the more chick that hatched the higher the humidity got (of course, respirations expel humidity)*I'm a nurse
So do I leave them in, take them out like 6 at a time, what do I do? I did find 2 that pipped and were alive but I think their eggs got rolled around from so many chicks kicking over them, that it looks like the holes were covered over by a shiny sticky film.
Thirdly:
We had about 7 that fully formed, didn't pip and died. I think it was because the humidity was so high. I feel so bad!
Any opinions and help i can get is appreciated.!! I tried to attach a picture of the incubator and eggs in the turner and out of the turner. but I can't find the place to do it. Any one ever use this kind? It was like $130 so it's not supposed to be a cheap one.
Thanks
Lynda
We cannot keep the humidity steady. It's all over the place. We can start will the bottom tracks partially full of warm distilled water, and after about 8-10 hours, the humidity starts to drop. It's gone as low as 48%. We will add some water or maybe warm sponge, and then it goes up to the 70's! And the sponge is may 3X4 inch not saturated.
First off:
During the beginning, before candling at day 7 to check the air sacs, what does the humidity need to be?
After candling I'm assuming we go from there but still not sure of what it should be. Do I need to adjust as I go each candling session?
Secondly:
Day 18 and we take the eggs out of the turner and put them on the wire to hatch and within 4 hours they start hatching. It took 2 days for a total of 17 to hatch. My friend told me the temp was too high, but I never changed it -when the peeps started hatching we were at 68-70% humidity, temp never changes from 99.5 - 100.5 at most, usually 100. So was it too high??
All was going well, they were hatching and drying, and I was told to keep the incubator on lockdown. Well, the more chick that hatched the higher the humidity got (of course, respirations expel humidity)*I'm a nurse
So do I leave them in, take them out like 6 at a time, what do I do? I did find 2 that pipped and were alive but I think their eggs got rolled around from so many chicks kicking over them, that it looks like the holes were covered over by a shiny sticky film.
Thirdly:
We had about 7 that fully formed, didn't pip and died. I think it was because the humidity was so high. I feel so bad!
Any opinions and help i can get is appreciated.!! I tried to attach a picture of the incubator and eggs in the turner and out of the turner. but I can't find the place to do it. Any one ever use this kind? It was like $130 so it's not supposed to be a cheap one.
Thanks
Lynda
