Need help with humidity numbers for hatching in a Hovabator/Still

[Fluffy-Butt-Farms]

also, i can tell you how to make your still air into a circulated for about 15 dollars....go to radio shack...but a 7v little tiny fan (13 dollars). go to a thrift store and buy a 9v charger for about 1 dollar. use bread twisty ties and poke 2 holes into the bator where a fan kit would go. put the twisty ties (you need 2 connected together) into the holes so that they are hanging down. take the little fan and face it upwards so the air is blowing towards the top not the eggs and just hook the ends around it. let it hang down about 1 inch. it barely blows air, barely makes a noise and i am looking at 100 percent hatching tomorrow for the first time. usually the heat kills the ones in the hot spots and i only hatch the ones in the middle. beats paying 50 dollars for a fan kit.

 

[Praxxus]

Ok I hope I don't get nailed to the wall on this but I don't even measure the humidity. I toss in a damp sponge. I make sure the sponge is redampened so it doesn't dry out. I pull one of the plugs for extra fresh air inside. I also don't keep it at 102. I keep it at 100-101. I also remove the lid while I'm redampening the sponge. This simulates the hen leaving the nest for her daily feed/water and gives them a short cooldown cycle. I have excellent hatch rates. I think of it as the hen doesn't give them perfect heat or humidity and her hatch rate is pretty sweet. I just don't overthink it. It makes for tougher birds. If you give them perfect conditions and promote this practice, the future eggs will need perfect conditions. I get around a 75% hatch rate, which is ok for me I guess.

ps: Good luck with your incubating!

 

[rancher hicks]

I've posted about my two hatches in the Hova-bator 1602n and neither was exceptional. This past one I kept the humidity at close to 50 or above and got 2 chicks barely. One zipped real fast the marans did not. In fact the one who did hatch had a bad foot like it had a stroke. The other started to hatch and got a small hole and died. I did increase the humidity at hatching time but am really bummed. This out of more than 24 eggs.
As I recall my first I kept the humidity at 40-45 and then increased it on the last couple of days. This past hatch there was always drops of water on the windows. Not good huh?
The first temp was always pushing the 100 mark. It began to spike at hatch time and I had to keep turning the temp gauge down. got 5 out of 13. One died in the egg, it couldn't break through the membrane I think. All Dels. but not sure all were fertile.
I previously posted about the plastic lining that goes under the wire screen. How important is this as I dont' have one but I suppose I could improvise one.
I'm going to try again if I can get enough info that maybe helpful. And please feel free to pm me if you can think of anything to help.

 

[Jimmiaandboys]

First of all, good luck with your hatch!

This is my 2nd attempt, 1st was disasterous- too high humidity. I'm attempting a dry hatch in my LG, lockdown is today (EE eggs and BCM eggs). I originally had the BCM's in a Suro but had an accident with the lid the other night so now they're all together. The ambient temp and humidity of your room will affect the conditions within a styrofoam incubator-so you may want to check your room first, then tweak your bator to get desired measurements. I'm not the best example of what to do, but def. of what not to do!!!

Best,
Mia