New to BYC and incubating and need help ...

[willows68]

Hello members, I am new to BYC and this is my first post, so my apologies for any mistakes. Firstly, I would just like to thank everyone past and present for the invaluable information stored here on this forum. It has been a great resource for me as I am just starting to breed my own hens. I have a question which is quite urgent as I am in the middle of incubating my first hatch using an R-com 20 Pro incubator. I am on Day 18 Lockdown and the incubator has automatically stopped turning and increased humidity to 60 percent and temperature to 37 degrees (sorry, not sure of fahrenheit equivalent). Is this okay for hatch or should I manually change the temperature back to 37.5 degrees and increase humidity to 65 percent?

I nervously await advice. Regards, Elizabeth

 

[TwoCrows]

Welcome to BYC!

I have an R-Com as well and yes they like to decide what temps and humidity for you! But I like to do things my way. So I would change this temp back to 37.5 (or 99.5) and get your humidity up around 65% or 70%. If you have to, add damp sponges to the bator to keep the humidity up.

Don't be too nervous. LOL But keep us posted on the hatch and good luck!

 

[drumstick diva]

you are in good hands with 2Crows advising you

 

[willows68]

Thank you 2Crows. This incubator is an expensive upgrade from the R-Com King Suro 20 as I was having a terrible time maintaining temp and humidity. Any idea how I change the temp and humidity? There wasn't much of a manual included. Regards, Elizabeth

 

[TwoCrows]

I don't have this model of R-Com. But I looked at it on line at the model you have and the face plate looks similar to mine. But in case my incubator is different, I googled the users manual on the R-Com King Suro. Hope this helps!...

http://www.lyonelectric.com/pdfs/Rcom/Rcom _King_SURO_manual-1

Keep me posted!

 

[willows68]

Thank you for the link 2Crows. Will it damage the hatch if I leave the incubator on its default settings? I'm really nervous after my last hatch with the R-Com King Suro. The humidity was all over the place and I lost quite a few chicks (dead in shell) and hatching a couple of days after due date.

 

[TwoCrows]

I personally never rely on just the built in temp and humidity gauges. And while the R-Com, and I have other brand bators as well, was pretty reliable, I ALWAYS keep a temp and humidity gauge inside the bator at all times. This way I will know if something is off. And I only buy equipment from reliable brooding places on line. I want the best thermometer and humidity gauge so there are no mistakes.

You won't damage anything if you leave it as is or change the temp setting. And I don't think the temp at 37.0 is going to hurt anything at this point. But I like a higher humidity to keep them from sticking to the inside of the shell. 60% is a bit low if you ask me. So if I were you, tomorrow I would go to walmart or some such similar place and get yourself a humidity gauge you can put in the bator.

When the chicks start to pip, this is when the high humidity is so important. When the chick pips, (pokes a hole thru the shell) humidity is lost from inside the egg. If the bator has low humidity, the insides of the egg start to dry and shrink, causing the chick to stick to the inside of the shell and they die. But before any pipping is happening, the humidity is less critical. It does help to soften the egg shell and inside membrane so the chick CAN pip. But if your humidity is at 60% right now and none of them have pipped, you are ok.

So if you can't change the temp, I wouldn't worry about it. The chicks should be ok. But I would get a humidity gauge tomorrow, some damp sponges and get your humidity up between 65% and 70%.

When they do pip, do not open the lid of the bator. They will pip and sit pipped for 24+ hours not doing anything. Don't panic. They are busy absorbing the last of the yolk and detaching themselves from the inside of the egg. They will zip out when ready. You can remove the babies when they are completely dry and no other eggs are pipping.

Good luck and keep us posted!

Thank you for the link 2Crows. Will it damage the hatch if I leave the incubator on its default settings? I'm really nervous after my last hatch with the R-Com King Suro. The humidity was all over the place and I lost quite a few chicks (dead in shell) and hatching a couple of days after due date.

 

[willows68]

Thank you so much 2Crows. I will look up the manual and change temp and humidity to 37.5 and 65 percent. I don't live in the US. I live in the Republic of Ireland, in the country, so need to rely on online companies to source supplies. It may be difficult to source the thermometers you suggest. Can you give me a link in the US? Perhaps I can buy it online from here?

 

[TwoCrows]

I would bet that the built in thermometer in your R-Com is correct. Mine always was dead on. So if you can get it back to 37.5, then you will be fine there. But what you can do is, and I am going by the size of your incubator, but get a new clean kitchen sponge about 4x6 inches in size. Cut 2 or 3 strips off of it about 1 inch thick. Wet them down and give them a squeeze. Don't wring all the water out of them, but not dripping wet either. Place them in the incubator. You want the lid to have moisture on the window. Not raining on the eggs and not just a light haze. But a good amount of moisture on your window. This will be about what you are looking for. This is about 70%.

I get much of my supplies from this company. You can contact them to see if they ship to Ireland.....

http://www.randallburkey.com

Stromberg has great equipment and supplies as well....

http://www.strombergschickens.com/prod_detail_list/incubator-hygrometers

Keep me posted!

 

[willows68]

Thanks again TwoCrows. Temperature is now 37.5 degrees and humidity is 65 percent and stable. Should I increase to 70 percent when I see the first signs of pipping? Regards, Elizabeth