Regulating temp throughout incubator

[ochochicas]

Quote: I agree that not everyone understands the whys and hows of humidity. My Marans eggs are very hard to candle, so I opted against marking air cells and I just weigh them. It is easier for me. It helps to have a very accurate digital scale when weighing the eggs. They are supposed to lose 13% by lockdown, but some of my eggs lose 8 and some are over 15% and they all hatch anyway. I've also weighed my broody's eggs and they are all over the place with weight loss (9 - 14%). Our house is very dry since we use a wood stove for heat. I run the incubator around 40% from days 0 - 18. A dry hatch would probably not work well here.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I agree that not everyone understands the whys and hows of humidity. My Marans eggs are very hard to candle, so I opted against marking air cells and I just weigh them. It is easier for me. It helps to have a very accurate digital scale when weighing the eggs. They are supposed to lose 13% by lockdown, but some of my eggs lose 8 and some are over 15% and they all hatch anyway. I've also weighed my broody's eggs and they are all over the place with weight loss (9 - 14%). Our house is very dry since we use a wood stove for heat. I run the incubator around 40% from days 0 - 18. A dry hatch would probably not work well here.

I did dry in the fall, (my first one) and loved it. But I'm getting ready for the Easter hatch and not going to be able to go dry.

We use a wood pellet stove, and even though the outside humidity in NY is still 60-80% in winter, the air inside is dryer than dry. I've already tested and will have to fill the water wells to get 30/35%. I have plans for lockdown (though I hope by Easter it is much warmer and we aren't using the stove as much so it won't be as much as an issue,) because I really like my 75% for hatch. We'll see how it goes

 

[ochochicas]

I feel badly for all you East-coasters. We have been having an early Spring in the west for the last 3 weeks. Temps in the mid 60s today in the Seattle area. I'm not complaining - I hate the cold!

Since I wanted to have chicks to sell for Easter, I already put my eggs in the incubator yesterday. After this hatch I will be replacing my rooster. I'm finding in this area Turkens are not very sought after. I like them, but it no one else does there is no point on keeping my Turken rooster.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I feel badly for all you East-coasters. We have been having an early Spring in the west for the last 3 weeks. Temps in the mid 60s today in the Seattle area. I'm not complaining - I hate the cold!

Since I wanted to have chicks to sell for Easter, I already put my eggs in the incubator yesterday. After this hatch I will be replacing my rooster. I'm finding in this area Turkens are not very sought after. I like them, but it no one else does there is no point on keeping my Turken rooster.

I'm still trying to figure out why I am in this state. lol Got up this morning to more snow....lol That's the same with show girls. I want some real bad but there's not a lot in this area. I asked one old family friend if they knew any breeders since they have been heavily into 4H and the fancier clubs. I got, "No, and why does she want them? They are ugly!" Different strokes....lol

 

[lazy gardener]

I did dry in the fall, (my first one) and loved it. But I'm getting ready for the Easter hatch and not going to be able to go dry.

We use a wood pellet stove, and even though the outside humidity in NY is still 60-80% in winter, the air inside is dryer than dry. I've already tested and will have to fill the water wells to get 30/35%. I have plans for lockdown (though I hope by Easter it is much warmer and we aren't using the stove as much so it won't be as much as an issue,) because I really like my 75% for hatch. We'll see how it goes

AmyLynn: Both of my hatches were done in a super dry house with wood and pellet heat. I didn't use any back up heat at all, so the temp fluctuated quite a bit as well. I put the bator on the counter in an inside corner in the kitchen. That seemed to be the most stable temp area in the house. Used a sponge in a cup, with a length of aquarium tubing to add water without opening the bator. That worked very well to keep the humidity at my goal of 30% during the first 18 days. I snuggled the bator up with a piece of foam underneath it, and with towels to snuggle it at night.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

AmyLynn: Both of my hatches were done in a super dry house with wood and pellet heat. I didn't use any back up heat at all, so the temp fluctuated quite a bit as well. I put the bator on the counter in an inside corner in the kitchen. That seemed to be the most stable temp area in the house. Used a sponge in a cup, with a length of aquarium tubing to add water without opening the bator. That worked very well to keep the humidity at my goal of 30% during the first 18 days. I snuggled the bator up with a piece of foam underneath it, and with towels to snuggle it at night.

Our pellet stove is our only source of heat as well. We have an upstairs though, that's where our bedrooms are and it stays pretty even believe it or not. My last hatch I discovered the perfect place for the bator. (The playroom...lol) Once you get the heat regulated it stays pretty consistant (and I'm talking LG styrofoam bator here) so you know it's an ideal location. I bought a new thermometer combo last week so I got the bator out and scrubbed it up and set it up so I could chceck all three thermometers and my hygrometer against each other and I left it running for three days while I played with the humidity and positioning. I got it where it was steady both temp and humidity. I'd be lying if I didn't say lockdown humidity has me a tad concerned, but I do have a couple ideas in mind if I need an extra boost. Plus I found these in the dollar store yesterday, I want to try them under the screen at lockdown. They are sponge, but long like a cloth:





It'd be easy to tube water right down the corner through the vent and onto the spong cloth.

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[mark steele]

ive been hatch 90% out my bator for 16 years its easy to do if you just do it the right way