newbie 1st time batoring

[Kool Aid Queen]

i need to know how long it takes for the humidity to get to 50 % and if there is something i can do to get it higher
i have my bator up and running have had to put diff bulbs in to get temp where i need it but now i am
tring to get humidity up it is @ around 40%.. do i just need to give it time to build up .. i do not have any eggs in yet as i want to
have it working right before we do ... would feel bad and kids would be real sad if we had to throw some eggs away

here is a link to see my bator there are a few pics to many to hog up the space on here

http://s256.photobucket.com/albums/hh192/mopzsix/chickens/

any advice would be great ... if i have to be patient i guess i will just have to sit tight ... blows hair off face.. big sigh lol

thanks kaq

 

[babsbag]

Did you calibrate your hygrometer to make sure it is correct? That is where you need to start is you haven't. There are directions on BYC for doing it, just use the search.

Humidity will rise if you increase the surface of the water. So add a bigger tray, not deeper, but bigger.

Are you hatching duck eggs or chicken?

 

[Kool Aid Queen]

oh thank you very much ... i put a bigger pan in last night before bed and this asm it was up to 57 %
and yes there will be chicken eggs... can you bator chicken eggs and duck eggs at the same time??
also i have talked to a few people on here about turing eggs and
they had said for a better hatching to turn them every 2-3 hours ..
what about at night do i need to get up and turn them at night
or is it ok to turn them before i go to bed(9 - 10 pm)
and then first thing when i get up in the am (6am)....

thanks from a newbie

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
It is normally not recommended to incubate chicken and duck eggs together due to the higher humidity requirements that duck eggs have.

As for turning, most places state that 3 times a day is minimum but more is better. Every 2-3 hours would be great. No, you don't have to turn them in the middle of the night. You do want to turn them an odd number of times...3 times or 5 times or 7 times, etc.,. This is so that each night the egg is resting for that long period of time on the opposite side that it rested on the night before. Many folks will write an "x" on one side of the egg with a soft-leaded pencil or felt-tip pen to help them keep up with which side that they have turned.

57% humidity seems high to me for chicken eggs, probably about right for duck eggs. Too high of a humdity can result in big mushy chicks with health issues or chicks drowning in the egg due to too little liquid evaporating out of the egg. But, for ducks the humidity needs to be high. That's the problem with incubating both at the same time.

Here is a link to the Bill Worrell's explanation of the "Dry Incubation Method" . Many folks use this method with success while some will curse it. But I wouldn't think it would work for incubating ducks.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Intheswamp]

One more thing...like babsbag inquired, did you calibrate your hygrometer?

Ed

 

[Kool Aid Queen]

i got an acu rite digital thermometer and humidity one and there is now where in the instuctions to calibrate it

is 7 % really to high for the chickens .. i have read some of the forums and they say 50% for chickens so just wondering

thanks for the answer on turning it we are hoping to get eggs in soon so will make sure to put x and o's on them ...

 

[Intheswamp]

Quote:
Go to this thread for information on calibrating your hygrometer... Calibrate Your Hygrometer - Two Methods

Uh, I think you meant 57%? Well, in some schools of thought, yes it is too high. In other schools, no. It has to be something you decide on after looking at the methods and options.

You don't have to put both an "o" and an "x" on the eggs...just one or the other will do. Either you see a mark or you don't.

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Kool Aid Queen]

thanks ... i went down and changed the pan i have in the bator .. thinking a metla pan is better than the plastic i first had in there .. went from a square cake pan to a bread pan will see if that make it better ... i am thinking it is to much at 57% as i have water on the glass i look thru to see the eggs ... will go to the calibration info and let you know how things are going from there


thanks again for all the info

 

[fordmommy]

I don't have an answer but I just stopped in to say

 

[Intheswamp]

You're welcome.

Yes, if you have condensation already forming on the window it is too wet in there.

Ed