People with Hovabators how do you keep your humidity in the 40-50 area

[magsrags]

Quote:
I did it

keeping it up
Hmmmm....I'm on my first hatch, but my goal is to keep it in the 30's% range. Right after I add water to the bowl, it shoots up to almost 50 and that has me a little worried. I feel happier when I see it go back down in the 30's again. Too high humidity in the early days of incubation can cause too much water to build up inside the egg, and the chick drowns when it pips internally. I researched this a ton before I started, and finally decided to go with a lower humidity for incubation and then raise the humidity at lockdown and for hatching. I wouldn't try too hard to keep it near 50% if you are just starting with the hatch, if I were you....

Do you think 37-40 is ok?​

I'd try for 45 or so. Add a small wet sponge square if necessary in a corner to up it a bit if necessary.
Then up to 75-80 which works for me during last 3 days of lockdown. Just my experience though. There are many schools of thought on the humidity levels. I've messed up in the end not leaving the bator closed up and the eggs inside membranes get shrink wrapped. So up yours a bit, leave it along and then learn as you go. We've all been there and it is fretfull to say the very least.

 

[HEChicken]

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That sounds perfect to me....(but I am on my first hatch and do not profess to be an expert.)

 

[happyhens44]

Last night I hatched one chick in the bator ( I only had one in there, the rest where under my broodies) and in lockdown I had it at 75% i think about

 

[GreenGoddess]

Quote:
Hmmmm....I'm on my first hatch, but my goal is to keep it in the 30's% range. Right after I add water to the bowl, it shoots up to almost 50 and that has me a little worried. I feel happier when I see it go back down in the 30's again. Too high humidity in the early days of incubation can cause too much water to build up inside the egg, and the chick drowns when it pips internally. I researched this a ton before I started, and finally decided to go with a lower humidity for incubation and then raise the humidity at lockdown and for hatching. I wouldn't try too hard to keep it near 50% if you are just starting with the hatch, if I were you....

You might find this post quite interesting... https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=1358211#p1358211

Goddess

 

[geepy]

I kept mine at about 55 and just hatched 17 out of 30 and still hatching. I had to help a few but so far everybody is doing fine.

 

[happyhens44]

the bators holding humidity at 43% and temp at 99.3 . I want to get temp in the 99.5- 99.6 area like last night

 

[magsrags]

Quote:
Sounds good. I have also successfully raised my temps very quickly in a pinch.... by placing a hand towel 1/2 way across the top of my styrofoam bators....being carefull not to block all the air holes.
But if you just placed your eggs in the bator it sometimes takes a few hours to stabilize itself. Be patient, small increases/decreases aren't the end of the world.
I just had an almost 100% hatch on shipped eggs. And on day 10 had a spike overnight (how many hours I do not know) up to 104 degrees. All but 1 chick successfully hatched just today so think positive.

 

[happyhens44]

Haha I went over there again and its at 100.00 and 37%

So Im lowered the temp just a hair and took my squirt bottle and sprayed a few squirts.

 

[lizrndiver]

I have a Hovabator and I find that some times I need to use part of the second well to get my humidity right. I don't like using towels because at lockdown I done have enough room for my eggs.

I experiment with adding some water to the second well or trough. IF you look at how the plastic fills, it only fills part way initially. Remember that humidity is about surface area of water exposed to air, not volume of water.

At lock down I add a regular sponge just under my vent hole. I can add water if needed during lockdown by putting a small piece of clear tubing through the vent hole and squirting some water through

I just completed a hatch with 24 of 26 eggs hatching. Temp was 99-100. Humidity varied from 35-50 for days 1-18. I would shoot for 45, but sometimes it was a little high and some days when I woke up it had gone way down.

I did maintain a steady 75% on lock down.

Good luck and try to not over think it. I think we can easily get too caught up in adjusting the temp and humidity too often.

Liz

 

[happyhens44]

im at 47% and 99.1, So im getting where I want to be