Nov. Egg Swap....Closed....

[Barnyard]

Quote:
I do the normal hatching. I don't do anything any different for my button's then I do for the chicken's. Maybe it is this Georgia atmosphere that helps me, lol!

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

I use 40-45% for chicken eggs, and there's conflicting reports on humidity for buttons. I am aiming for anywhere from 50-60% for the first 14 days, 65-70% for the rest. I'm on day 16 today and having trouble getting the humidity that high, so I'll hope for the best. It's around 60-64% right now.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

Quote:
I do the normal hatching. I don't do anything any different for my button's then I do for the chicken's. Maybe it is this Georgia atmosphere that helps me, lol!

That could be true - our air here, especially now, is very dry.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I know here is real dry too. I have to open the bator with the buttons in it now to see the thermo/hygrometer. Just opening it for a few seconds will make the humidity drop like 5 degrees! And if I need to add water...whoa! It goes down fast! It just sucks the humidity right out of it. I'm sure I will have a fun time trying to get the humidity up in it, when I have to take the plugs out!

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I think that was the problem with my first buttons. This summer I was hatching my chicken eggs at around 50-55% just fine. But when I did this with the buttons, only one chick hatched. There were only 3 that made it to day 15 (that's when they hatched), and one other pipped the shell and died. Got stuck it looked like. The other one had the membrane pipped, so it didn't even get that far. That's why with the ones I have cooking now, they keep at least 50% humidity.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

It was suggested to me by The1Much to increase the humidity in the 'bator to add surface area for the water; put is a couple of clean rags, sponges, etc into the plastic liner in the bottom so that way when it is moistened/wet there is more surface to release the moisture. I am doing dry incubation and with our gas heat the normal humidity inside our home is 20-30 percent. I am trying to keep the humidity between 40-50 percent in the 'bator until the last few days when I am going to bump it up to 75% if I can. I even got smart and added a piece of airline tubing that fits in the same indentation as the egg turner and goes to the tray in the bottom. I use a big ole syringe that I have used with a needle to inject a turkey, but without the needle; the hose fits perfectly on the end and I can push as much water in as I want without disturbing anything. Hubby thought I happened upon a good idea...just throwing it out there to whoever might want to try it.

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

The tubing is a wonderful idea and works well. I use that too, as well as the sponge with a paper towel over it. My house is so dry right now, that even with all the wells filled and the sponge, it still won't go as high as I'd like. 70% is as high as I like to go. During the summer I don't have a problem.

 

[what was i thinking]

i use paper carton soaked with water, it really helps. i remember someone saying that when they were using a carton to hatch it absorbed the water. so i figured i could use them. i put i up side down soaked, that way they can climb all over it still. no pools of water for anyone to drown in.

 

[lostsoulhelpmejebus]

I never realized how dry my house was till I started incubating! No wonder I have to use so much moisturizer. Sure opened my eyes!

 

[shelleyd2008]

I don't have too much trouble getting my humidity to go up, my problem was that I was told to do them the same as chicken eggs. I was incubating my chicken eggs at about 40% humidity, and hatching around 50-55%, so that's what I did with the buttons. Didn't work. They should tell you that quial need the same that chicken eggs are supposed to have!

If I get any money before these hatch

I will get some tubing. Right now I'm kinda broke, so I will just have to make due. I usually just drop some wet sponge pieces through the window, if hatching in the bator, or the air holes, that are really big, in the hatcher. Or, in the hatcher, I put a sponge right under the air hole and 'pour' some water right on it.