Question for those with experience using a Brinsea Mini Advance

[bsee4u]

I have followed the Brinsea user manual so far with respect to humidity. I have kept one half of the center are with water and then last night filled up the entire center column to up the humidity for hatch as they instruct. So I filled it up last night, tomorrow night will be 21 full days. I do not want to lift the lid to add more water, but I found during this process that the water evaporated from 1/2 of the center cylinder within a few days. My question is: from your prior experience, how many days will water remain in the center cylinder (remember I filled up both halves as they instruct for added humidity) before it runs dry? I don't want to raise the lid to mess up the humidity but don't want all the water to dry up if they end up being a few days late. Thanks in advance.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

I didn't wait for it to become dry. Even in lockdown, I added water every 24 hours until there was a pip.

Once there was a pip, I DID NOT lift the lid until it was to remove chicks after they dried out. That water level drops fast. You don't want it to dry out when they are pipping and zipping.

 

[Diamond Wire Farms]

I don't have the mini-advance, but the Brinsea Eco 20. Certain times of year, I have add water through the vent with a needle and syringe (I have a clean one that was designed for marinating dedicated for this use now.) Would this work for the mini too?

 

[Lark Rise]

I was just about to ask this very same question! You guys are great!

 

[stampntam]

The mini doesn't have a vent to add water does it, I can't find one anyway?

 

[jenfork]

I didn't add any. 6 out of 7 of my eggs hatched.

 

[gryeyes]

The MiniAdvance recovers temp very quickly, so if you are adding water, it will also pick up the humidity and be just fine. Even if there's a pip. You need to make sure the reservoir does not run dry.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
OOOOhhhhhh this is good to know. Thanks gryeyes! This has been a source of tension during hatches for me!!!

 

[bsee4u]

Well, here is the scoop. I got home last night and was going to add water because tonight will be 21 days. I noticed 3 eggs had Pipped. I used gryeyes advice and added water really quickly, and it took a lot in just a 24 hour period. Low and behold, first egg hatched last night at 7:30 pm, another at 9:30, a 3rd at midnight. I took the 3 chicks out of the Brinsea this morning because they were clobbering the 4 other eggs (the Brinsea Mini was not made to keep hatched chicks in - too small). It didn't seem to matter, 2 more hatched this morning, another is on the verge of hatching and my last one has made the Pip crack bigger so all should be done by tonight. It appears with the Brinsea it recovers so quickly it doesn't matter if you open it for a few seconds.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
I am so happy for you!! Cute chick overload!!!!!!!