Is it Possible to have " too much" Humidity? (INCUBATION)

[ChcknNurse]

I leave them in until they start moving around in the incubator and become active, then their lil butts go to the brooder. I have in 3 years only lost 1 pipper and I wasn't home to keep it from being rolled...it was rolled over so pip was on floor. Could be a coincidence, but I am not willing to lay bets and experiment to prove a point. All pippers that get rolled get rolled back face up, active hatchlings go to the brooder and all shells are removed as they hatch. I have NEVER had my incubator become smelly by the end of hatch.

Interesting... I let them play soccer with them. I always leave at least one cheerleader (usually the last hatched). I always pull by 24 hours or when there are a bunch. Pips roll over, as do zips and they aren't an issue for me (except I can't see them). But it's a different incubator. With still air, it sure can't offer much air flow down low.


The 9200 was the older non digital model with no read outs. I used the 9200 for 2 years. The 9300, 10300 and 11300 are all digital. I heard there was an even newer one as well.

I'm sure my horrible experience was a newer model, as it was digital. It made me just buy a second Brinsea.

 

[ChcknNurse]

I run dry if it's about 25-30% at least. If it's not I add a wet spong. I don't ever put water in my wells the first 17 days.

I do the same (Brinsea Octagon, not LG) except when it's a tiny clutch. I had 2 eggs left, after I moved 11 to the hatcher. It was a pain to maintain a consistent humidity. I was throwing a sponge in, pulling it out, adding water to one well, dumping it, smh. I was so glad when day 18 arrived.

 

[ChcknNurse]

If the question is in regards to my comment, I was talking about when hatchers roll over eggs that have been pipped so the pip is not face up. I mark my air cells on days 7/14/18 so I know where the chicks should pip. When I go into "lockdown" (which for me is a joke) I place my eggs so where they should pip is face up so I can see them when they do. It also helps me to have an idea when they pip so if they hit 24 hours of non progression, I start an assist.

I find this line/mark helpful to see if there is a malpo, or a pip below the air cell. With horrible saddles in shipped eggs, I always need to have a good idea. Of course, draw down comes and it changes, so another mark...

 

[ChcknNurse]

Phew caught up on this thread while y'all are still sleeping . I had to work from 11a to 1030p last night.

 

[bald Rooster]

I do the same (Brinsea Octagon, not LG) except when it's a tiny clutch. I had 2 eggs left, after I moved 11 to the hatcher. It was a pain to maintain a consistent humidity. I was throwing a sponge in, pulling it out, adding water to one well, dumping it, smh. I was so glad when day 18 arrived.

The directions in my Hova bator to control humidity say.
fill a cell. The amount of water,the depth of water do not control humidity.
The surface area of water is how you control it.
Then it goes on to explain how to place aluminum foil over parts of the channel to reduce surface area of water. I found it works perfectly. No sponges no constant adjustments.
And if you fill your cell all the way up,the water last 3 or 4 days.

 

[ChcknNurse]

The directions in my Hova bator to control humidity say.
fill a cell. The amount of water,the depth of water do not control humidity.
The surface area of water is how you control it.
Then it goes on to explain how to place aluminum foil over parts of the channel to reduce surface area of water. I found it works perfectly. No sponges no constant adjustments.
And if you fill your cell all the way up,the water last 3 or 4 days.

When trying to reduce humidity, that is not effective (to fill a cell). To throw in a sponge will give a little humidity, but not as much as filling the cell (yes, due to surface area). Trying to maintain (fairly dry) was more tedious with 2 bantam eggs, versus My fuller bator. But all was well and I got the air cells where I wanted them. 2 little Showgirls hatched.

I do add paper towels to assist with evaporation during lockdown and keep a shotglass with sponges in the corner for easy refill. If I have chicks zipping, I don't want to open the lid and get to the bottom to refill the channels. This works wonderfully. Plus I put felt on the floor, with slits to allow evaporation from beneath. I trail the paper towel over the channels up to the edge of the felt. It keeps the humidity as I want. If I need to lift the lid to assist one, I can increase the humidity in 30 seconds by dropping water thru the air vent onto the floor. Then I can grab the one I need without disrupting the others. It's so easy, really.

 

[bald Rooster]

I only know about my experience with my little 40 egg Hova bator.
It comes with a hard plastic Channel tray with different size channels.
If you want to reduce humidity all you have to do is place a piece of aluminum foil over parts of the channel and adjust slowly over a few hours until you get to know how it is reacting in the environment you have your bator in.
A very small surface area of about 2 inches in one channel was all I needed to achieve 45% humidity in my air-conditioned closet.
I will say I believe a stable environment with low humidity Is the key to keeping your bator Stable. If the room temperature rises, then your heater will work less. and as the room cools it will work more. This will affect humidity control more then anything.
My closet stays around 65% 24 hours a day with a 33% to 38 % humidity My bator has no problem keeping a constant temp and humidity in its environment.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

My last batch (ended 6-7-17) I ran almost dry to dry at day 11 to 15. Then on 16 added very little hot tap water. Day 19 added 2 rolled up washcloths soaked in hot tap water.
35 eggs
25 hatched
6 roll over fatalities
4 no peep

The previous batch yielded 9 out of 40.
All gooey. Most drowned. Umbilical probs.
Total disaster.
I am not trusting factory LG meters no more.
Humidity control is a science obliviously.

 

[ChcknNurse]

I only know about my experience with my little 40 egg Hova bator.
It comes with a hard plastic Channel tray with different size channels.
If you want to reduce humidity all you have to do is place a piece of aluminum foil over parts of the channel and adjust slowly over a few hours until you get to know how it is reacting in the environment you have your bator in.
A very small surface area of about 2 inches in one channel was all I needed to achieve 45% humidity in my air-conditioned closet.
I will say I believe a stable environment with low humidity Is the key to keeping your bator Stable. If the room temperature rises, then your heater will work less. and as the room cools it will work more. This will affect humidity control more then anything.
My closet stays around 65% 24 hours a day with a 33% to 38 % humidity My bator has no problem keeping a constant temp and humidity in its environment.

My temps are always stable, thank goodness. But, when trying to pull moisture from 2 eggs, versus 20, it has proved different. I don't have the same incubator. My question is, where is the heating element on the Hovabator? It truly isn't a big deal, and no need to beat a dead horse, here. I was talking about the difference between 20% & 35-40% humidity, which was the goal for those two eggs at the time. When I have more eggs, a dry hatch at 30-35% is pretty easy, with or without AC for me.

 

[ChcknNurse]

My last batch (ended 6-7-17) I ran almost dry to dry at day 11 to 15. Then on 16 added very little hot tap water. Day 19 added 2 rolled up washcloths soaked in hot tap water.
35 eggs
25 hatched
6 roll over fatalities
4 no peep

The previous batch yielded 9 out of 40.
All gooey. Most drowned. Umbilical probs.
Total disaster.
I am not trusting factory LG meters no more.
Humidity control is a science obliviously.

I'm sorry about the chick death.
Connie, though you ran it dry, what did your hygrometer read? Did you salt test?

I don't like to use anything but distilled water, when possible. It's up to you, of course. I don't give my chicks tap water until they are moving to the pens. But, currently our water is unpredictable.