Incubation humidity

[BeckMoose]

Hey, sorry for posting again.
I have these 2 incubators running, the smaller one i have eggs in until 3 days before the hatch date and then i move them over to the big one.
How do i stabilize the humidity in both of them?

TIA

 

[Chick-in]

I always struggled with hatching no matter the incubator or method over the course of more than a decade. I even bosom/oven incubated for 2 weeks until my bator came in and it hatched. But what has worked best of everything I've tried is:

I found hand turning increases my hatch count. Especially since my setting birds all get off the eggs on occasion. The waft of fresh air is good. Nor does a hen turn the eggs as often as the auto turner.

Keeping the incubator covered with a towel reduces moisture loss.

I use a spray bottle with water into a top vent hole after opening to increase humidity or for when it starts to drop.

Hot water poured in the trap for a quick increase of temp and moisture.

I usually only use a second bator as a brooder as soon as they hatch, in order to reduce bacteria contamination to the other eggs. This also increases my chick survival rate.

Hope some of this helps!

 

[BeckMoose]

I always struggled with hatching no matter the incubator or method over the course of more than a decade. I even bosom/oven incubated for 2 weeks until my bator came in and it hatched. But what has worked best of everything I've tried is:

I found hand turning increases my hatch count. Especially since my setting birds all get off the eggs on occasion. The waft of fresh air is good. Nor does a hen turn the eggs as often as the auto turner.

Keeping the incubator covered with a towel reduces moisture loss.

I use a spray bottle with water into a top vent hole after opening to increase humidity or for when it starts to drop.

Hot water poured in the trap for a quick increase of temp and moisture.

I usually only use a second bator as a brooder as soon as they hatch, in order to reduce bacteria contamination to the other eggs. This also increases my chick survival rate.

Hope some of this helps!

Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!

Hey, sorry for posting again.

Why? If you don't know, ask. it's what the forum is about.

I have these 2 incubators running, the smaller one i have eggs in until 3 days before the hatch date and then i move them over to the big one.
How do i stabilize the humidity in both of them?

TIA

I'm not familiar with the Mini but I have an older model of the 1588. With the 1588 you put water in one or more of the reservoirs in the bottom, close the lid, and wait. If you spill water and get areas wet that you don't want the humidity can spike up until that excess water evaporates. What controls humidity in that type of incubator is the wet surface area. To stabilize the humidity you have to wait until the only surface area wet are the reservoirs you filled.

I don't see a turner in that 1588. One time the humidity in mine dropped lower than it should have been. The cord that goes to my turner was not in the slot properly so it had the lid cracked, which allowed moist air to escape. So make sure the lid is on correctly. If you are using it as a hatcher you do not need a turner.

I don't know enough about the Mini to speak to how to stabilize the humidity other than to crank it up and follow instructions, then see what happens.

You did not ask about adjusting humidity. The way I do that with my 1588 is to fill different reservoirs. When I first got it and before I used it I ran it with different reservoirs and different combinations of reservoirs filled and kept notes to see what the differences were.

Different air temperatures and different moisture levels in the room the incubator is in can give different results inside the incubator. Sometimes I make adjustments on which reservoirs have water in them based on what I see. But I try to keep the incubator in a stabile location to minimize that.

Good luck!

 

[Chick-in]

Thank you!

Most welcome, Beck. You have a great day

 

[BeckMoose]

Hi, welcome to the forum! Glad you joined!


Why? If you don't know, ask. it's what the forum is about.


I'm not familiar with the Mini but I have an older model of the 1588. With the 1588 you put water in one or more of the reservoirs in the bottom, close the lid, and wait. If you spill water and get areas wet that you don't want the humidity can spike up until that excess water evaporates. What controls humidity in that type of incubator is the wet surface area. To stabilize the humidity you have to wait until the only surface area wet are the reservoirs you filled.

I don't see a turner in that 1588. One time the humidity in mine dropped lower than it should have been. The cord that goes to my turner was not in the slot properly so it had the lid cracked, which allowed moist air to escape. So make sure the lid is on correctly. If you are using it as a hatcher you do not need a turner.

I don't know enough about the Mini to speak to how to stabilize the humidity other than to crank it up and follow instructions, then see what happens.

You did not ask about adjusting humidity. The way I do that with my 1588 is to fill different reservoirs. When I first got it and before I used it I ran it with different reservoirs and different combinations of reservoirs filled and kept notes to see what the differences were.

Different air temperatures and different moisture levels in the room the incubator is in can give different results inside the incubator. Sometimes I make adjustments on which reservoirs have water in them based on what I see. But I try to keep the incubator in a stabile location to minimize that.

Good luck!

Thank you for the support, I appreciate it!! I just feel like i have alot of questions, and google gives 12 different answers for everything so its hard to decide which answer to go with.

I find if i fill the reservoir of either one, the humidity sky rockets. But if i only put in 10ml or so, it depreciates quite quickly. I guess ill just have to keep an eye on it and maybe add 10ml 3x a day or something.

We had 4 successful hatches before i started doing research. But it seems that the more i learn, the more questions i have and the more i wonder how we got any to hatch before!

 

[Huntmaster]

But if i only put in 10ml or so, it depreciates quite quickly.

Humidity is controlled by surface area of the water not how much is in incubator. If you can find a shot glass/jar lid or something with same surface area as you adding 10ml but much deeper. You won't have to add water as often and much more consistent humidity %. A little experimenting and you will find what works for you. Hope this helps

 

[BeckMoose]

Oh my gosh, thats brilliant! Thank you!!!!

 

[Huntmaster]

Oh my gosh, thats brilliant! Thank you!!!!

Welcome to BYC glad to help.