I have borrowed an RCOM 20 - its just the standard model, and does not have any pre-set settings on it. Lady I borrowed it from has only ever done duck eggs so had no idea on settings for chickens.... I did a bit of research and found a video clip by the supplier that said to set it at 37.5c and 45% humidity. I am at day 17, eggs look ok, my first hatch was in a Brinsea Mini Eco and I had to tinker with it a bit to get enough moisture loss for the air cells, but in the end got there with a perfect 100% hatch . Now I am concerned that perhaps cause we live in a high humidity area I may need to change the settings on the RCOM too?? Does anyone have any experience with the RCOM 20? Its very good at holding the humidity at set level, does this mean that the outside humidity won't effect the incubator?
Is this the model that has humidity control - like, you set it for 45% humidity and it does the work to keep it there? If so, then you're right in thinking that the outside humidity won't affect the humidity in the bator very much. I don't have an RCom but I do have the equivalent model of Brinsea with humidity control, and I find that 45% humidity is what suits chicken eggs pretty well. If your air cells look good then you're probably on track for the correct moisture loss.
I have to say I have never had external humidity affect the humidity in my incubators. The heating element always makes the air so dry. I could steam up the bathroom, but the incubator without water in it, and still have the hygrometers read -- because humidity is too low for it to register (below 20%).
We have had the humidity outside affect the humidity in my incubator. Last week we had a couple of days of rain. The incubator was running around 35% to 40% humidity then the rain came and for a couple of days even with all of the vents open the humidity would not go lower than 45% (which is still ok). Tomorrow we go into lockdown so we will see.
