Lockdown in a dry climate

[debilorrah]

Please share with me what has seemed to work for others who live in the desert climates of this great nation. I have found that for the most part, a really heavy duty sock, soaked to dripping over the full trays can keep me at 70% for the better part of two days, then it dips to 50. Which has left me with some shrink wrapped chicks.

I am looking for other suggestions. The sponges just dry up in a matter of hours.

 

[RioLindoAz]

I've seen members attach an external humidifier to their incubators. Perhaps its worth looking into for your situation.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
That means money..... I am seriously wondering if two soaked socks is too much humidity for 2 days when it starts to dry out.

 

[kathyinmo]

I am not in a desert climate, but I can tell you that I much prefer lower humidity to higher humidity. I incubate at 35% (if it drops to 25% i am not concerned), and I hatch at 60 - 65%. Humidity too high results in sticky chicks, and they are unable to turn around inside the egg.

I have had eggs pip that were (mistakenly) left in the incubator at 35% the entire 21 days. More than once I have forgotten to move eggs from the incubator into the hatcher.

Just my experience .....

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I have always had faith in this method also. Until lockdown. That is where it seems to go awry. I go from 20-40% the first 18 days. Lockdown comes and I run into trouble, as I add water the first 18 days twice a day. Lockdown, that's a no go (though I have been known to open it up if there are no pips). I have a very important 17 eggs in lockdown today, due Tuesday, and they are at 65%, it was 70% this morning. I don't want any more shrink wrapped babies!

 

[lightfoot]

i'm not in a desert, but i had similar problems. using info i got reading past posts, problem solved. i use a large hypodermic needle which is used to inject curing solution into meat. i found plastic hose that fits the end of needle. fill the needle with distilled water, insert hose through bater vent hole. fill the channels in the base. if you can't get humidity high enough, then add the sponges. place them where you can add water through the vent hole. last time i hatched, i used over a gallon of water. bob

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
I will have to check that out. I have the Brinsea Octogon 20 and that hole is TINY!

 

[DanEP]

I had the same problem with my hatch in the eco but used a turkey injector ( it will fit thru the vent hole ) when I locked down I just make sure that there are no eggs under the vent. then you can gentle drip water onto a sponge and bring your humidity up. I think that I needed to do this about twice a day but it worked.

GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR HATCH Dan




Also while I don't live in the desert it got cold the nite of lock down so needed heat on and by morning humidity was in the 30's till I added water but still hatched 8 of 11. The house humidity stayed in the 30's all thru lock down.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Apparently I need to find that hole. These eggs are really nothing special, but after we had a predator attack that took 24 chickens and 9 ducks, I am hoping to replace them. I started with 24, and 17 are in lockdown, with duck eggs to follow next weekend.

 

[DanEP]

the hole I'm talking about is the one on top that slides to open the ventjust open it all the way and the needle part of a turkey injector will fit in there.