Lockdown Humidity Question... Fill all water reservoirs?

[WVduckchick]

I believe I read in Storeys Guide to Raising Ducks that as the duckling grows, the internal temp of the egg raises on its own over like the last 10 days. I decreased my temp .1 degree each day for 10 days, so 1 degree over all. I haven't read that about chicks but I assume it would be similar. I decreased my chicks .5 degrees.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I believe I read in Storeys Guide to Raising Ducks that as the duckling grows, the internal temp of the egg raises on its own over like the last 10 days. I decreased my temp .1 degree each day for 10 days, so 1 degree over all. I haven't read that about chicks but I assume it would be similar. I decreased my chicks .5 degrees.

Near the end of my hatch I have to adjust down to keep the incubator at the 99 ish point because they do start giving off heat, but I don't adjust down the temp one degree from the incubation temp like some do. If it drops a degree I don't try to up it back to the 99, but neither do I intentionally lower it below 99.

 

[jhall6293]

Can I ask why you decreased to 98.5? I'm going into lockdown tomorrow. I'm running at 99.5-100. (In the afternoon it goes up to 100.)

Some people decrease the temp a degree at hatch time. I personally don't. At times my bator will dip to 98 because I do open to take my chicks out and I leave it at that, but I don't intentionally lower it.

Yeah, like AmyLynn said, some people do, some people don't. It's a matter of personal preference or what works best for you. I could have gotten away with not reducing the temp and I don't think it would have mattered, so I probably wasted a tiny bit of energy lol but, hey, I have lots of healthy babies!



They are SO FRIGGIN' CUTE!!!

 

[WVduckchick]

Near the end of my hatch I have to adjust down to keep the incubator at the 99 ish point because they do start giving off heat, but I don't adjust down the temp one degree from the incubation temp like some do. If it drops a degree I don't try to up it back to the 99, but neither do I intentionally lower it below 99.

I adjust down so that the heater doesn't get them any hotter. The temp inside stays the same because of their increased body/egg temp and less work by the incubator.

 

[RubyNala97]

Near the end of my hatch I have to adjust down to keep the incubator at the 99 ish point because they do start giving off heat, but I don't adjust down the temp one degree from the incubation temp like some do. If it drops a degree I don't try to up it back to the 99, but neither do I intentionally lower it below 99.

That does make sense. This morning it was 100.1 when I woke up. But I had to turn them and add a couple drops of water, so it cooled down to 100. I was thinking that it's been warmer in the house and that is why the temp has been slightly warmer but I wonder if its the little guys giving off some heat. Day 17. That's pretty cool. Is it okay if it goes to 100.1?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Yeah, like AmyLynn said, some people do, some people don't. It's a matter of personal preference or what works best for you. I could have gotten away with not reducing the temp and I don't think it would have mattered, so I probably wasted a tiny bit of energy lol but, hey, I have lots of healthy babies!



They are SO FRIGGIN' CUTE!!!

Wow, that's a lot of chipmunk stripped babies!! lol

That does make sense. This morning it was 100.1 when I woke up. But I had to turn them and add a couple drops of water, so it cooled down to 100. I was thinking that it's been warmer in the house and that is why the temp has been slightly warmer but I wonder if its the little guys giving off some heat. Day 17. That's pretty cool. Is it okay if it goes to 100.1?

Yup, they start giving off heat in the last few days. I'm happy if I can keep my temps between 99-100 with this LG...lol

 

[K8Aspen]

First things first. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to you all!

So tomorrow night the 18th night and is lockdown night (trying to be as exact as I can on the things I do, making lots of notes in case this doesn't work. I decreased my humidity for the last 3 days, we were at 38-47% ish (depending on when I had put water into the channels. I think it worked because the lines where all the air sacs were have increased, the largest increase was most likely by nearly 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, is that enough? should I leave the humidity down tonight as well until tomorrow night and then increase or should I increase the humidity first thing in the morning? Does their hatching time sort of depend on when you increased the humidity dramatically? Or does that matter really? Want to make sure I do the right things for them.

anxious to meet the new family members... hoping they make it.

Thanks!

 

[RubyNala97]

First things first.  HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to you all!

So tomorrow night the 18th night and is lockdown night (trying to be as exact as I can on the things I do, making lots of notes in case this doesn't work.  I decreased my humidity for the last 3 days, we were at 38-47% ish (depending on when I had put water into the channels.  I think it worked because the lines where all the air sacs were have increased, the largest increase was most likely by nearly 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, is that enough?  should I leave the humidity down tonight as well until tomorrow night and then increase or should I increase the humidity first thing in the morning?  Does their hatching time sort of depend on when you increased the humidity dramatically? Or does that matter really?  Want to make sure I do the right things for them.

anxious to meet the new family members... hoping they make it.

Thanks!

I'm not going to be a huge help because this is my first incubation and I just went into lockdown yesterday. (Amy, will answer & give the best advice) Because of the advice I got on here, I ran the humidity low throughout the first 18 days. Never higher then 40%, average was 35% and I had a nice decrease in air cells. What were you running over days 1-18? Just something to think about for the next incubation. I'm not sure about your lockdown question. But I just wanted you to know, I know exactly how you feel! I wish you the best of luck and hope you get lots of fluffies!!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

First things first. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to you all!

So tomorrow night the 18th night and is lockdown night (trying to be as exact as I can on the things I do, making lots of notes in case this doesn't work. I decreased my humidity for the last 3 days, we were at 38-47% ish (depending on when I had put water into the channels. I think it worked because the lines where all the air sacs were have increased, the largest increase was most likely by nearly 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, is that enough? should I leave the humidity down tonight as well until tomorrow night and then increase or should I increase the humidity first thing in the morning? Does their hatching time sort of depend on when you increased the humidity dramatically? Or does that matter really? Want to make sure I do the right things for them.

anxious to meet the new family members... hoping they make it.

Thanks!

It doesn't really matter when on the 18 (or 19th) that you officially go into lockdown. I usually do it midway through day 18. Sometimes earlier on day 18. I have been having pippers and on this last hatch, hatchers on day 19, so I make sure that everything is settled and my humidity is up before the end of day 18. I also like to give myself time to be able to find my comfort zone for humidity levels (75%) without being rushed. When you do it (go into lockdown)will not effect how soon they will hatch. They will hatch wether you are ready or not when they are ready...lol Sometimes they don't even wait until they are ready and rush out before they are done absorbing yolk. Usually though, it's a long lengthy process because it does take so long for them to be physiologically ready.

Good luck and I hope you see plenty of hatchers!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

First things first. HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to you all!

So tomorrow night the 18th night and is lockdown night (trying to be as exact as I can on the things I do, making lots of notes in case this doesn't work. I decreased my humidity for the last 3 days, we were at 38-47% ish (depending on when I had put water into the channels. I think it worked because the lines where all the air sacs were have increased, the largest increase was most likely by nearly 1/16 to 1/8 of an inch, is that enough? should I leave the humidity down tonight as well until tomorrow night and then increase or should I increase the humidity first thing in the morning? Does their hatching time sort of depend on when you increased the humidity dramatically? Or does that matter really? Want to make sure I do the right things for them.

anxious to meet the new family members... hoping they make it.

Thanks!

Oh, and I can't really tell w/o seeing air cell markings an opinion on their sizes. I will agree with RubyNala on the humidity levels day 1-17. I prefer 30-35% and get nervous w/anything over 45%. You can find the method I use for humidity control and determining if your humidity is good is in the link in my signiture at the bottom of my post.