Apparently I have gone over the edge with hatching chickens, and growing chickens and keeping chickens and, well...chickens in general. I was going to wait until the set day for New Year's chicks, and realized I could get another hatch in between now and then. So...
Anyway, I have upgraded my hygrometer/thermometer for this hatch, but I'm desperate to find ideas for increasing and holding humidity during lock down. I'll be doing dry incubation, so keeping the humidity relatively low during the first 18 days. After that, it's up to 65 to 70%.
I had a pretty rough hatch last time out, and I'm 99% sure the reason was a mix of some of the eggs being shipped eggs, and the fact that my lock down wasn't much of a lock down because I struggled to keep the humidity up. I was using a wet washcloth folded up in one section. I had rolled up paper towel in the 4 canals, and I had a small cup of water placed randomly inside in a clear space. I was constantly adding water, much of it spilling out the air holes in the bottom. Because there are really only a couple vent holes at the top, I was never really able to keep all that stuff wet. I used a half gallon milk jug with straws connected together, allowing me to squeeze the milk bottle, and have water squirting onto the washcloth and paper towels.
Basically, it was a total mess. Because the straw thing only worked partially, I found myself opening the top often to add water, which of course defeats the whole purpose of lock down, causing wild temperature fluctuations as well as crappy humidity.
So...what I need is some hand holding through different ideas from people who actually use the LG Still air (or even if a fan has been added).
Do you keep the metal screen in there, with water sources underneath in the tiny inch or so of space between the screen and the bottom? Don't use the screen and have some other methods? The eggs have been set, so I have a couple weeks to figure out what I'm going to do for lock down, but I need to get on it now...any help would REALLY be appreciated. Thanks!
Anyway, I have upgraded my hygrometer/thermometer for this hatch, but I'm desperate to find ideas for increasing and holding humidity during lock down. I'll be doing dry incubation, so keeping the humidity relatively low during the first 18 days. After that, it's up to 65 to 70%.
I had a pretty rough hatch last time out, and I'm 99% sure the reason was a mix of some of the eggs being shipped eggs, and the fact that my lock down wasn't much of a lock down because I struggled to keep the humidity up. I was using a wet washcloth folded up in one section. I had rolled up paper towel in the 4 canals, and I had a small cup of water placed randomly inside in a clear space. I was constantly adding water, much of it spilling out the air holes in the bottom. Because there are really only a couple vent holes at the top, I was never really able to keep all that stuff wet. I used a half gallon milk jug with straws connected together, allowing me to squeeze the milk bottle, and have water squirting onto the washcloth and paper towels.
Basically, it was a total mess. Because the straw thing only worked partially, I found myself opening the top often to add water, which of course defeats the whole purpose of lock down, causing wild temperature fluctuations as well as crappy humidity.
So...what I need is some hand holding through different ideas from people who actually use the LG Still air (or even if a fan has been added).
Do you keep the metal screen in there, with water sources underneath in the tiny inch or so of space between the screen and the bottom? Don't use the screen and have some other methods? The eggs have been set, so I have a couple weeks to figure out what I'm going to do for lock down, but I need to get on it now...any help would REALLY be appreciated. Thanks!