Need a few Bator questions answered

[Goat_Walker]

Well Iposted in incubating and hatching eggs but didnt get the response I needed.



OK, so -

Do I need to change temp or humidity towards the hatch date? I think the humdity s supposed to go up - but i need specific numbers. I know that the degrees may vary by a couple of degrees or whatever.


What number do I need to keep the temp and humidity at?

 

[FenDruadin]

Yes, you do.

I have only had one hatch so far, so I am no expert, but here is my understanding:

You want the temp to go down by about 1 1/2 degrees (to 98), but you may have to keep turning the thermostat down to accomplish this, because the ducklings will begin to generate their own heat toward the end.

And you're correct about the humidity, too--it should go up to about 80%. I know some folks make their own wet bulb thermometer to test this, but I just bought a cheap walmart hygrometer to measure the humidity.

If you're using a Hovabator, 80% is achieved primarily by filling all the little reservoirs that come with the bator. If you're still having trouble, you can mist occasionally with a spray bottle of warm water.

Good luck!

 

[tia]

I changed my humidity from 55 to 65 on my digital thermometer and left the temperature the same. When I asked the question, most said they didn't change the temperature. In the information I read you should drop it just a little, but I didn't and it didn't seem to make any difference. The seven eggs in the incubator at that time all hatched. I am assuming you are hatching ducks. Good luck!!!

Tia

 

[jvls1942]

I do not know who "they" are..

I see no reason to change the temp at all. I never touch the temp once the eggs are set..
If your thermostat is working, your temp will not rise..

You do need to raise the hum to at least 70% for ducks and higher for geese..

I run 60% straight thru for all other eggs..

and temp from 99F to 100F

 

[kawonu]

I don't touch the temp. I get the humidity up above 75%. If you have a hard time getting there, we put a small wet hand towel in there and it will stay up better.

 

[Goat_Walker]

Thanks! Thats what I needed to know. My temp is fine , the humidity is all that I Need to remember to keep up

 

[FenDruadin]

jvls1942--you probably have a proper thermostat in your incubator. In the smaller incubators they appear to be using a rheostat, which works differently and does have to be turned down when the ducks generate their own heat (this is even in the instruction manual for the Hovabator--can't speak for the other brands, but I suspect it's true for all the cheaper 'bators, given that a rheostat is MUCH cheaper than a thermostat).

Interesting that everyone seems to be saying not to turn the temp down--everything I'd read said to turn it to 98, and that makes sense to me (since the ducklings are working hard to hatch--I know I prefer a lower temp when I'm working hard!), but if everyone is having success leaving it alone, then perhaps that's the thing to do.

Like I said, I've only hatched duck eggs once, with only average success, so I'm no expert. I'm glad you got the info you needed Goat_Walker. Good luck!