Newbie help with hova bator

[hmmcc123]

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I'll see what I can find! : )

 

[bairo]

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That really sounds a fair bit on the high side to me. Maybe you have had good hatches with those humidities, and if so, congratulations, but you should know that you are in a minority. A good starting humidity for newbies with no previous hatching experience is more like 30-45% for the first 18 days. I would recommend that first, and I would only recommend a higher humidity to someone who had tried out 30-45% with a previous hatch and had found it to be too low.

More people over-humidify eggs than under-humidify them, and it's one of the most common incubating mistakes made. Especially with still air incubators, which seem to need much less humidity than fan assisted bators. I'm not sure if the Hova Genesis always comes with a fan or not... If it doesn't have a fan, I'd say go for a lower humidity, say 30-40%. If it does have a fan, maybe go a bit higher, something like 40-45%.

Good luck. And yes, get that hygrometer. And make sure you calibrate it before use, cause they're not always accurate!

Yes, absolutely.

I need to look for that egg air sac chart I keep forgetting where I saved it to. Stick it on my BYC page or something. Do you have one on your computer gypsy? Its that time of year again (hatching), seems like I am constantly running into these posts.

 

[Doctim]

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Its the circulated air unit with an electronic thermostat.

temp at 99.5 with 35% humidity for first 18 days. let it dry to 25% then add a teaspoon or 2 to bring it back to 35. On day 18 add water to bring to 70% and lock it down. do not open till they hatch and dry.GL

This is good advice. I have two 1588s and I like them but lower humidity is the way to go. Much better hatches!

 

[hmmcc123]

Here are some good threads with information:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7474436

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=7107488 Read post #874

I'm not finding the ones from a month or two ago when you get bumped back to page 1 while searching...it gets monotonous.

Heidi

 

[sunnyllama]

I found the humidity post, good reading! Good luck to you willobrookfarms, I am in Ohio and setting eggs tomorrow. I always get so nervous when I am hatching...

 

[tristancolli]

ok I am a hovobater finatic. I just follow the instructions on filling the one tray for the 18 days and i keep the 2 trays filled for a 3 day lockdown. I actually my last hatch was a 96% hatch rate and i did a 4 day lockdown i locked it down on day 17

 

[Supermommy486]

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Its the circulated air unit with an electronic thermostat.

temp at 99.5 with 35% humidity for first 18 days. let it dry to 25% then add a teaspoon or 2 to bring it back to 35. On day 18 add water to bring to 70% and lock it down. do not open till they hatch and dry.GL

Ok awesome, writing it down, thanks!!!!!!!!!

 

[Supermommy486]

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Ok don't laugh but what does lay the eggs down mean? Just literally lay them down or is there a certain way?

 

[crankster76]

yup,just take them out of the racks and lay them on there sides on the wire rack.space them as best you can. bring humidity to 70% and lock it down. make sure your vents are closed and dont open it for nothing till they hatch and dry.

 

[nurse_turtle]

I like to use that rubbery shelf liner stuff that's sold by the roll. $1 at the dollar store. It helps with bator cleanup and it's disposable.