LITTLE GIANT STILL AIR INCUBATORS: I HAVE A QUESTION!!

[Keni*Sue]

i know what the humity is supposed to be but thing i need to know is how are you supposed to regulate the humidity? and how are you supposed to add water when you cant open the lid for more than just a sec or it throws everting outta wack... im new to all this and just got my bator today

 

[Mom2Cool]

Keni*Sue :

i know what the humity is supposed to be but thing i need to know is how are you supposed to regulate the humidity? and how are you supposed to add water when you cant open the lid for more than just a sec or it throws everting outta wack... im new to all this and just got my bator today

Well the thing is that you just have to open the bator & get in & out working as fast as you can. If you're turning eggs by hand then you have to do that as fast as possible & get outta there.

I've turned eggs by hand & added the water & it really doesn't take to long for the temp to come back to the correct temp when closed back up but the thing is to have the incubator calabrated before starting the incubation process. So this way you *know* when you close it back up that it'll come back to the proper temp. *for me* I like to have my incubator on temp & then I'll go back & forth tweeking the humidity until it's right & then I can see as I make that adjustment how long it takes to come back to temp.... A hen that's sitting does get up from her nest & your eggs will survive you working & then closing the bator back up. Once I stope turning eggs & the incubator is closed for the last 3 days I use a straw & a nasal asperator to add water.... In my experience the *single best advice on keeping up the humidity is to use a wash closth or a sock that has been wet & wrung out.... Then as the eggs are hatching you can also add right to the cloth & it'll absorb & so you wond't have water running out the bottom of the bator...

I'm sure others will give great advice here who are more experienced than me. A word of warning though that hatching like chicken keeping is addictive.

PS I forgot Good Luck on your hatch...​

 

[Keni*Sue]

Quote:
Well the thing is that you just have to open the bator & get in & out working as fast as you can. If you're turning eggs by hand then you have to do that as fast as possible & get outta there.

I've turned eggs by hand & added the water & it really doesn't take to long for the temp to come back to the correct temp when closed back up but the thing is to have the incubator calabrated before starting the incubation process. So this way you *know* when you close it back up that it'll come back to the proper temp. *for me* I like to have my incubator on temp & then I'll go back & forth tweeking the humidity until it's right & then I can see as I make that adjustment how long it takes to come back to temp.... A hen that's sitting does get up from her nest & your eggs will survive you working & then closing the bator back up. Once I stope turning eggs & the incubator is closed for the last 3 days I use a straw & a nasal asperator to add water.... In my experience the *single best advice on keeping up the humidity is to use a wash closth or a sock that has been wet & wrung out.... Then as the eggs are hatching you can also add right to the cloth & it'll absorb & so you wond't have water running out the bottom of the bator...

I'm sure others will give great advice here who are more experienced than me. A word of warning though that hatching like chicken keeping is addictive.

PS I forgot Good Luck on your hatch...

what if its TOO humid?

 

[tielsflyhigh]

I put a small tube of airline tubing ( available in the fish section at walmart or in pet stores) through one air hole and squirt in water with a syringe on a sponge - I got tired of not being able to see the water level and opening the brooder ... You could run the tubing all the way to the water wells - but I rather like to see what I am doing ...
Egg turners are great in a LG

We are in a super dry climate and I never get my humidity over 40%- at hatch time I have to stuff every inch of brooder space with wet sponges ...

 

[Paganbird]

I'm hatching silkies in an LG right now. I cut up a sponge & put the sponge-squares directly under the vent holes. Then, I just squirt *warm* water onto the sponges through the holes. (cool water cools your 'bator)
I have never had the problem of having humidity too high. I suppose you could just open the 'bator. I opened mine for about 6 seconds to help a chick caught between eggs and the humidity dropped 10%.

 

[Keni*Sue]

ok thats what i will do i have it at 100 and 62% now and i will open the bator a little, i dont have n e eggs in it now just tryin to get it situated and stable

 

[JewellFarm]

Has it been raining where you live? If so that will make the humidity in your bator increase. I keep a shallow cup of water in mine and I had to take it out. With all the rain here mine is running in the 40% percent range with no water at all in it.

 

[Mom2Cool]

Take the water source out. If you have water in the wells below then take the nasal asperator & the straw & just suction the water right back out. & of course as soon as you open the bator that'll help it drop no matter how short a period of time. So I would open it & take out some water. I would start with the socks &/or the wash cloth... Then I'd go to the water wells... but just 1 at a time so it doesn't completely drop...

 

[Mom2Cool]

Keni*Sue :

ok thats what i will do i have it at 100 and 62% now and i will open the bator a little, i dont have n e eggs in it now just tryin to get it situated and stable

yes if there are no eggs in it then just open it & make the adjustment. Of course now is a good time to see how you'll handle such a thing later if you need to. Some times the outside or the weather has an effect & we do need to make an adjustment. The sponge was a real good suggestion too I liked that one. If you're using a sponge & the humidity is too high then you can quick pull it out & just sqeeze some morsture from it & later you can add to it.​

 

[Keni*Sue]

Quote:
yes if there are no eggs in it then just open it & make the adjustment. Of course now is a good time to see how you'll handle such a thing later if you need to. Some times the outside or the weather has an effect & we do need to make an adjustment. The sponge was a real good suggestion too I liked that one. If you're using a sponge & the humidity is too high then you can quick pull it out & just sqeeze some morsture from it & later you can add to it.

ok i am going to pour the water out in the bottom and use a sponge i think that will work best.

just thought of a new n important question: it the temp\\humidity drops too low or too high how long can it stay like that b4 it causes damage to the egg? like say i go to bed(and when im in for the night i dont normally wake up till my roo beside my window crows) and the temp\\humidity drops and not awake to fix it??