LG 9200 Owners - Getting Ready to Hatch?

[bigredfeather]

It's day 18 of my first hatch. I am incubating with a LG 9200 still air. I have borrowed a LG 9200 w/ a fan for a hatcher, and I am going to put the eggs in the hatching bator Thursday. Monday I completely covered the bottom of hatch bator w/ wet sponges, filled the water wells and plugged it in. Over the past two days, the highest I can get the humitity 67%. Both holes are plugged. I have a Bemis thermometer/hydromitor, which I'm sure is acurate. Are there any other tricks that will raise humitity to 70%-80% or higher? Will 67% be high enough for a successful hatch? My only idea is to try and raise the humitity in the room, thus helping to raise it in the bator, but I'm not sure that will help much or if I can even raise humitity in the large room the bator is in. I need to get this figured out before Thursday, so any advise will be greatly appreciated.

I didn't realize the excitement and anticipation of hatching chicks. I can see how people here on the BYC say it is addictive.

 

[Katie Jo]

From what I understand, 67% should be fine. THere are plenty of folks who hatch at lower humidity rates than that. I'm hatching (well not me, my eggs) on the 30th with an LG....this is my first hatch and I'm so excited I can barely stand it. I'm sure getting to day 18 must have felt like CENTURIES passed.....I'm only on day 5 and I'm ready to bang my head against a wall. I was never known for my patience!!! Good luck on your hatch!

 

[bigredfeather]

I didn't think about it much until after I candled the other night and realized that 36 of my 40 eggs appear to be at least capable of hatching. Now I can hardly wait. I've never witnessed a chick hatching, so it will be a new expirience. Saturday and Sunday will hopefully be very exciting. My kids are very excited as well.

 

[Katie Jo]

My kids are excited too! Every morning they wake up and ask, "Did they hatch yet?" They're only 5yrs and 4yrs old, so they don't quite understand the concept of time yet....lol. We're only 5 days in, so they've got awhile to wait!!! I hope you post pics of your hatch...I'll be looking forward to it!

 

[brkuk]

I am due on the 28th with my first batch and first chickens. I am also using a LG 9200 without the fan. I have 4 with veins and 8 that are questionable, but I will let them ride out the storm. I can't wait, same with my 3 and 6 year old. They have made paper chains for each day left. I am crossing my fingers.

 

[Katie Jo]

I've tried candling, but either the eggs are too dark, or my flashlight isn't strong enough. It's and LED flashlight, too! So I'll just keep smelling the incubator in hopes to catch a bad one before it blows!!! Adds to the element of surprise, I guess.

The paper chain idea is a good one! I'll have to do that, thanks!

 

[shelleyd2008]

67% is fine for chickens, I think some of my ducks even hatched at that. The thing that concerns me is that you say you have both the vents plugged?? They both need to be open in the hatcher so the chicks can get some fresh air. If you have problems with the humidity after that, try putting some wet paper towels in there, they seem to raise the humidity better. And use warm water instead of cold when you are adding water.

 

[panner123]

Sorry to say this but, some of your chicks are going to drown. I know that many people feel the humidity should be above 65% ercent the last 3 days. Show me a chicken that can get the humidity that high. If I can help it, my humidity NEVER reaches 60%. I have found that my best hatches have been at 50%. Try it at the high rate of humidity then give the lower humidity a shot.

 

[bigredfeather]

I don't have the eggs in the hatcher yet. I am going to put them in tonight. I won't worry about the humity then. I've had it on for three days, and it has stayed between 62%-67%. Do you all keep the temp the same for the hatch or adjust up/down?

 

[shelleyd2008]

I try to keep it about the same, but if it goes down a degree it won't hurt it in my experience.