November/December "Hatch-a-Long"

[DeannaA]

Today Maxand I were at Tractor Supply and a lady wanted to take Max's picture. She asked if she could put it in a newsletter for her company. Then she asked if I'd send her more pictures and his story she she could put them all in. She works for a farming supply company.

Max had a visitor tonight.


Max eating his breakfast, ham and eggs. Isn't that what all turkeys eat for breakfast?

 

[Farmer Viola]

K. Just checking. And you may have answered this already, but wear do you keep your humidity 1-18 and 18-21? I've read the article, I'm just wondering about others who have done it. Kind of gathering a consensus before I start this hatch. I have my bator running now. It's only been on for about an hour. I've added NO water and humidity is at 15% on my dial hygrometer and 44% on my digital!! starting to wonder if I have had hygrometer issues but before I never had a huge variation like that. You would THINK the dial would be accurate for sure, but who knows. After reading up about chick mortality I REALLY think it was a humidity issue, as many of you suggested. Guess I need to invest in ANOTHER set of thermometer/hygrometers! Oh well!

I find that the humidity raises automatically when I add eggs, especially if I fill the tray completely full (41 eggs), my incubator will run at about 37-40% with zero water added. If I fill it half full of eggs (24ish eggs), it seems to run about 25%, and so I have to wet 1 very small sponge piece to bring it up to around 38%.

The idea is to add as little water as possible. Hopefully your eggs evaporating will release enough moisture that you do nothing. This depends on the size of incubator vs # of eggs. I like the sponge pieces because I can add a little at a time. So with adding as little water as possible, I try to go for 35-40% humidity. If I had a full incubator and it was 45%, that would be OK with me. then for lockdown, I add sponge pieces until I get to 65% humidity. The sponge pieces do dry out and need to be re-wet once daily.. since I'm hand turning I just do it then.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I have not done this but maybe I will try putting in an apple slice.

 

[DeannaA]

So Max is going to be on this page tomorrow. Go Max Go!!

https://www.facebook.com/SimmonsSportingGoods

 

[DeannaA]

So Max is going to be on this page tomorrow. Go Max Go!!

https://www.facebook.com/SimmonsSportingGoods

I thought she said but farming supplies. I have the worst memory.

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

I find that the humidity raises automatically when I add eggs, especially if I fill the tray completely full (41 eggs), my incubator will run at about 37-40% with zero water added. If I fill it half full of eggs (24ish eggs), it seems to run about 25%, and so I have to wet 1 very small sponge piece to bring it up to around 38%.

The idea is to add as little water as possible. Hopefully your eggs evaporating will release enough moisture that you do nothing. This depends on the size of incubator vs # of eggs. I like the sponge pieces because I can add a little at a time. So with adding as little water as possible, I try to go for 35-40% humidity. If I had a full incubator and it was 45%, that would be OK with me. then for lockdown, I add sponge pieces until I get to 65% humidity. The sponge pieces do dry out and need to be re-wet once daily.. since I'm hand turning I just do it then.

Ok. SOunds good. I'm working on stabilizing now. Just tested my hygrometers and they matched, so now just to figure out why they don't match in the bator?? LOL CHanged to a 40 W bulb because with the humidity lower (no water) my temps went sky high! Like 120 almost! I had a couple spikes last time, wwhich went along with bator drying out. Think I'm finally making sense of it all. THe only issue now is that bator is running about 100. I need it a little hotter, especially since it's empty at that temp.

You can always try the sock to keep the poops away.

I think I will try this. Not crazy about wearing poop. LOL

 

[Heidisgran]

Quote: had the pipped the air cell?

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

had the pipped the air cell?

No.

 

[MrsJenSmith2007]

To any who have done a foam cooler bator with light bulb heat source, what wattage bulb did you use? Did you use a dimmer? I think I need to install a dimmer. At 60 watts for a dry hatch my temp runs WAY too high, and even doing a NOT dry hatch a had a couple nearly fatal temp spikes last time. With a 40 watt bulb I just can't seem to get my temp high enough. I haven't seen a 50 watt anywhere. I'm thinking the way to go may be a 60 watt on a dimmer switch. Those who have tried this, how hard to install is it?? Something I could do myself or do I have to WAIT on hubby to get around to it?? I'm pretty handy, so if it's not TOO hard I can probably handle it.

 

[Heidisgran]

To any who have done a foam cooler bator with light bulb heat source, what wattage bulb did you use? Did you use a dimmer? I think I need to install a dimmer. At 60 watts for a dry hatch my temp runs WAY too high, and even doing a NOT dry hatch a had a couple nearly fatal temp spikes last time. With a 40 watt bulb I just can't seem to get my temp high enough. I haven't seen a 50 watt anywhere. I'm thinking the way to go may be a 60 watt on a dimmer switch. Those who have tried this, how hard to install is it?? Something I could do myself or do I have to WAIT on hubby to get around to it?? I'm pretty handy, so if it's not TOO hard I can probably handle it.

that sounds like a great idea! it can't be that hard to do!

Quote: if they hadn't pipped then they didn't drown! hmmm
they must have been weak....that is high incubation temp and poor ventilation