Question about Lockdown

[vlapinta]

We have a Genesis Hova bator. We are incubating call duck eggs for the very first time. The humidity has been hovering at 60-65%. When we go into "lockdown" I am thinking of using sponges to keep the humidity up. What happens if I see the humidity has dropped a little? Is it OK to open the bator quickly to put another sponge in there? Anyone who has used sponges, what have you done? We want to be prepared when we get to that point.

Vicki & Jaime

 

[FenDruadin]

I generally put them in lockdown 3-4 days before their "due date." I do not open it to add moisture. Instead, I have a squeeze bottle with a piece of aquarium tubing attached, and I use it to squeeze water onto the sponges & rags & what-not in there for moisture. Someone on these boards taught me to do it, and it's pretty simple. Take any old squeezable bottle--a used water bottle will do--with a screw-on lid. Cut a hole in the lid large enough to pass the tubing through. Thread the tubing through so that it will sit near the bottom of the bottle. Use putty, hot glue, or modeling clay to seal the opening around the tube. You can now fill the bottle with water, attach the lid, and when you squeeze the bottle water will come out the end of the tubing. Make sure you buy tubing with a small enough diameter to fit through the ventilation hole in your incubator, and do a test with it a couple days before you'll need to use it.

Have fun!

 

[vlapinta]

Thats a great idea, thanks for sharing!

Kindest Regards,

Vicki & Jaime