Reptipro 5000 Hatch-A-Long (=

[Cynthia12]

So today is day 21 and last night I started hearing the beloved "peeping" coming from my bator. Then around the middle of the day it tapered off and now it's pretty much quiet. My humidity was sitting at 60% and I couldn't get it to go up with adding a small container of water. I have a couple containers in there to regulate humidity.

So anyway, I put a wet (warm) rag in and the humidity went up to 70-75.

I wrung some of it out just now and its settling right around 70ish.

Do I worry?

Well...of course I worry.

I didn't check the air cells before lock down....such the rookie!!

Is there hope? Do they sometimes take a long break to recharge their batteries? The entire incubation was spot on with 99.5 and about 40% humidity.

Wait, we need the humidity up that high in this bator for lock down?? For chicks, or are you hatching ducks? I do around 60/65 for chicks.

 

[yinepu]

Wait, we need the humidity up that high in this bator for lock down?? For chicks, or are you hatching ducks? I do around 60/65 for chicks.

nope...

I have been hatching out in the reptipro 5000 at 35% and as soon as the first chick hatches the humidity jumps up to over 50% on it's own

So it's going to depend on how high the humidity is in your home.. if your incubator is out in the desert you will need to add a lot more water than someone who is hatching out on the coast

when I was hatching out turkeys I raised it to 80% because they need higher humidity.. for water fowl I would also bump it way up.. but chickens have been doing just fine raising the humidity on their own for me

basically let the chicks (if they are chickens) start hatching out on their own and see how they do.. if any start to get stuck to the membrane add more water.....

 

[JenBirdRansom]

Ok....shoot, I thought it had to be up at 65-75%. I'll take the rag out.

Just one piped.

My first hatch I didn't get the humidity up high enough in the bator and the chicks got stuck. Only 3 made it. I read on here that it needed to be 60-75% from day 20 on.

I'll let it go back down and hope for the best. Poor little critters!

 

[yinepu]

Ok....shoot, I thought it had to be up at 65-75%. I'll take the rag out.

Just one piped.

My first hatch I didn't get the humidity up high enough in the bator and the chicks got stuck. Only 3 made it. I read on here that it needed to be 60-75% from day 20 on.

I'll let it go back down and hope for the best. Poor little critters!

in a "normal" commercial bator you do need to raise the humidity way up.. mainly because of the location of the fan.. in a Brinsea for example the fan blows down directly on the eggs.. causing a lot of shrink wrapping and stuck chicks

I have never had a stuck chick in the Reptipro.. and I have been hatching out in it nonstop since I got it last year


the main thing to remember with a Reptipro bator is to pay attention to the eggs and hatching chicks.. they will tell you what they need.. monitor the air cells and the chicks as they hatch.. that info will tell you if you need to raise or lower the humidity..

also remember to open the door A LOT .. especially during hatch.. cause those chicks NEED oxygen... yeah yeah I know.. that goes against every rule of "lockdown"... and preserving humidity.. but I can tell you that it's easy to un-stick a sticky chick (had to do tons of that with the Brinseas).. but it's pretty darn hard to revive a chick that died from carbon dioxide poisoning.. opening the door allows for the chicks to get the air they need.. and the humidity bounces right back up as soon as you shut the door

 

[Cynthia12]

in a "normal" commercial bator you do need to raise the humidity way up.. mainly because of the location of the fan.. in a Brinsea for example the fan blows down directly on the eggs.. causing a lot of shrink wrapping and stuck chicks

I have never had a stuck chick in the Reptipro.. and I have been hatching out in it nonstop since I got it last year


the main thing to remember with a Reptipro bator is to pay attention to the eggs and hatching chicks.. they will tell you what they need.. monitor the air cells and the chicks as they hatch.. that info will tell you if you need to raise or lower the humidity..

also remember to open the door A LOT .. especially during hatch.. cause those chicks NEED oxygen... yeah yeah I know.. that goes against every rule of "lockdown"... and preserving humidity.. but I can tell you that it's easy to un-stick a sticky chick (had to do tons of that with the Brinseas).. but it's pretty darn hard to revive a chick that died from carbon dioxide poisoning.. opening the door allows for the chicks to get the air they need.. and the humidity bounces right back up as soon as you shut the door

So how often do you open the door during lock down? I can believe that this needs to be done, because, I ended up tossing the red plugs in the styros a while back. Makes sense to just adjust the temp without them, more oxygen.
And, during incubation, I am soo glad you mentioned opening the bator many times. I would have thought it was getting oxygen in there somewhere from the bator...but I will be using the egg turners..so, I need to open it say..around 3, 4 times a day?

 

[yinepu]

So how often do you open the door during lock down? I can believe that this needs to be done, because, I ended up tossing the red plugs in the styros a while back. Makes sense to just adjust the temp without them, more oxygen.
And, during incubation, I am soo glad you mentioned opening the bator many times. I would have thought it was getting oxygen in there somewhere from the bator...but I will be using the egg turners..so, I need to open it say..around 3, 4 times a day?

I open mine a minimum of 5 times a day to turn eggs that are still incubating ... to lower the humidity for those same eggs as well as to remove chicks and empty shells

 

[Cynthia12]

I open mine a minimum of 5 times a day to turn eggs that are still incubating ... to lower the humidity for those same eggs as well as to remove chicks and empty shells

You forgot to say how often during lock down.

Wait, duh...the same amount? LOL..

 

[Zootopia]

I have been moving the hatched chicks to the bottom to dry and removing the egg shell since there is alot of moisture left in the shell and the humidity is way up once the first chick hatches. I put a small old creme pitcher (about the size of a shot glass but with a smaller opening/surface area) in the bottom and it sets the humidity level at about 40%, if they are hatching fast and furious, I take the water out altogether. Since I am moving the chicks down as they hatch I'm always opening the door and I'll wipe the condensation off the front window. It is very different from hatching in other bators and like all of them, you tweek it till you get what works best for you. Since the ReptiPro was originally designed to be used with Reptile eggs, it does not have the air exchange we are used to, but it is alot easier to keep the humidity up. I love mine, some people don't, that's why they make so many different incubators. I had a guy come buy 2 doz hatching eggs today and he likes his old still air bator. I don't even want to try that.

 

[Cynthia12]

I have been moving the hatched chicks to the bottom to dry and removing the egg shell since there is alot of moisture left in the shell and the humidity is way up once the first chick hatches. I put a small old creme pitcher (about the size of a shot glass but with a smaller opening/surface area) in the bottom and it sets the humidity level at about 40%, if they are hatching fast and furious, I take the water out altogether. Since I am moving the chicks down as they hatch I'm always opening the door and I'll wipe the condensation off the front window. It is very different from hatching in other bators and like all of them, you tweek it till you get what works best for you. Since the ReptiPro was originally designed to be used with Reptile eggs, it does not have the air exchange we are used to, but it is alot easier to keep the humidity up. I love mine, some people don't, that's why they make so many different incubators. I had a guy come buy 2 doz hatching eggs today and he likes his old still air bator. I don't even want to try that.

Ha, been there done that with the still air. I like it for just lock down now..can you guess why? It holds the humidity better than the forced air! Oh well, I should be seeing my new bator...TOMORROW! Better anyway..that's what Fedex has for the expected delivery date.

 

[yinepu]

You forgot to say how often during lock down.

Wait, duh...the same amount? LOL..

yup... same amount.. the Reptipro doesn't have a "lockdown" like other bators since you HAVE to open the door to allow for air exchange during hatch

I have been moving the hatched chicks to the bottom to dry and removing the egg shell since there is alot of moisture left in the shell and the humidity is way up once the first chick hatches. I put a small old creme pitcher (about the size of a shot glass but with a smaller opening/surface area) in the bottom and it sets the humidity level at about 40%, if they are hatching fast and furious, I take the water out altogether. Since I am moving the chicks down as they hatch I'm always opening the door and I'll wipe the condensation off the front window. It is very different from hatching in other bators and like all of them, you tweek it till you get what works best for you. Since the ReptiPro was originally designed to be used with Reptile eggs, it does not have the air exchange we are used to, but it is alot easier to keep the humidity up. I love mine, some people don't, that's why they make so many different incubators. I had a guy come buy 2 doz hatching eggs today and he likes his old still air bator. I don't even want to try that.

that's what I have been telling people.. they need to get to know their bator and how it works for them in their home environment.. since every house will be different even if they are located right next to each other... little things like AC / heater usage.. water features (fountains and aquariums).. plus location with air flow can make a big difference between house to house

I absolutely love my Reptipro.. from all the commercial bators I have ever used it has given me consistent great results without having to deal with the issues that drive me nuts... since I have been around incubators for 52 years .. that says a heck of a lot

Ha, been there done that with the still air. I like it for just lock down now..can you guess why? It holds the humidity better than the forced air! Oh well, I should be seeing my new bator...TOMORROW! Better anyway..that's what Fedex has for the expected delivery date.

I would take a still air over a Brinsea for lockdown any day... the main reason.. the fan
Brinseas have the worst fan placement of any bator I have ever dealt with.. it blows directly down onto the eggs which causes the membrane to dry out too quickly.. and if the chick has a large pip.. and is a slow chick (taking his good ol sweet time hatching) 9 times out of 10 the fan will cause him to get stuck to the membrane... even with the humidity at 90%