Rcom 20 owners can you answer some questions?

[showjumper_girl2002]

hello! i'm attempting my first hatch and i got the Rcom 20. So far i love it! the temp and humidity never budge from their settings. however i noticed that it seems the highest the humidity will go is 70%. i have muscovy eggs in it and have read that at lockdown the humidity should be 75%. is this the highest your Rcom 20's go too or am i missing something? if so is 70% going to be high enough for my eggs at lockdown

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
If you keep your humidity at 40% during the first part, you should be able to have the 70% at lockdown be perfect. For all chickens, don't change the humidity from 40%, even at lockdown. For most ducks, 50% is sufficient for the end.

I know it seems odd, but the rcom is so tight and stable, it's closest to a momma...and they don't turn up the humidity at the end.

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

thanks for your reply

i've done a lot of research and read a lot on byc but there are so many different opinions on what the humidity should be. i've read (for during the main incubation period) the humidity should be 55-60% and then read 70-75% and even 80% for muscovy eggs. right now i have it at 60% (in between everything i've read lol) i candled them yesterday and they have veins and look like they're developing good

i figured i'd raise it to 70 for lockdown. i'm just really impatient and keeping my fingers crossed that i'm doing everything right

i'm sooo nervous lol

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
For what it's worth, I wouldn't DARE keep them at 60% for the beginning. This incubator doesn't work well at the higher humidity during the beginning stages. Rcoms are too closed for much evaporation at that level and you'll end up with birds too big and lose them at the end. There needs to be reasonable evaporation for the air cell to expand, and that won't occur at that humidity level with this machine. I always do all of my ducks at 40%, then 50%-60%. I haven't done Muscovies, but perhaps someone else has- I don't think you'll have good luck if you let it be high early, though.

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

Quote:
For what it's worth, I wouldn't DARE keep them at 60% for the beginning. This incubator doesn't work well at the higher humidity during the beginning stages. Rcoms are too closed for much evaporation at that level and you'll end up with birds too big and lose them at the end. There needs to be reasonable evaporation for the air cell to expand, and that won't occur at that humidity level with this machine. I always do all of my ducks at 40%, then 50%-60%. I haven't done Muscovies, but perhaps someone else has- I don't think you'll have good luck if you let it be high early, though.

is it ok to bring it down when i've had it set like that for 10 days or will the drastic drop kill them?

 

[ChooksChick]

Quote:
For what it's worth, I wouldn't DARE keep them at 60% for the beginning. This incubator doesn't work well at the higher humidity during the beginning stages. Rcoms are too closed for much evaporation at that level and you'll end up with birds too big and lose them at the end. There needs to be reasonable evaporation for the air cell to expand, and that won't occur at that humidity level with this machine. I always do all of my ducks at 40%, then 50%-60%. I haven't done Muscovies, but perhaps someone else has- I don't think you'll have good luck if you let it be high early, though.

is it ok to bring it down when i've had it set like that for 10 days or will the drastic drop kill them?

It's totally fine. You can raise it again at the end, too. Candle while you're there, to see how they're doing and to look at the air-cells.

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

when i candled them yesterday the air cells were very noticable at the top of the egg. how big should they be in order for the fetus to be healthy and grow? if i remember right the air cells fit right at the top of the egg and were almost as big around there was no mistaking them and i've never candled eggs before lol i have seen pics though. i keep reading humidity for scovy eggs should be 55-65% and 70-75% at lockdown so i'm gonna leave it alone and keep my fingers crossed

 

[Axle Quails]

when are they due to hatch

 

[showjumper_girl2002]

8/11

 

[sue13660]

I'm so glad I found this answer!! I have spent hours trawling through articles and forums for exactly the same reason.. Everyone was saying the humidity needed to be really high at the end and the RCom only goes up to 70%. Has been driving me mad as just about to start with my first duck eggs. I may well keep returning here now throughout the experience!! So generally do you change it when you stop turning, or keep it the same? And is that 50%?

Thank you!