serious incubator troubles with sportsman 1502 digital incuabtor

[Cody32691]

last year i took the big step and bought a sportsman 1502 i used the factory settings, and also purchased the auto water bucket never had any troubles last year all i did was set the eggs and keep the bucket filled and hatched around 85-90% i never payed attention to what the humidity was in it because i wasnt having no trouble, however, this year it has been a complete disaster i've failed to hatch 50% using same technique as last year i noticed alot of the embryo would develop only to die within a few days of incubation the ones that did make it to actual chicks was sticky and could not hatch i determined that was humidity from reading various threads here my humidity ran between 50-60 %. i decided to up the humidity the only way i could do that was close the ventilation hole on the side it would stay around 70% humidity but im still having trouble with them hatching they will break the egg enough to get their beak out of the egg and will die. i am at a loss and not really made any progress if someone could share their settings for the sportsman 1502 im starting to think maybe the incubator needs cleaned for germs which i did last year before I stored it for this year

thanks guys

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

Your humidity sounds too high to me. Do you have a hygrometer in your incubator (other than the one that came with it, if it has one)? If not, get a second one. Google "how to calibrate a hygrometer" and calibrate yours before you use it.
I don't have a Sportsman, but I usually run my humidity around 25-40% the first 18 days (depending on how low I can get it, sometimes it wont go below 40%). Then I bump it up to around 65% at lockdown. I have good hatch rates using that method (dry hatching).
Good luck

 

[Cody32691]

yes i got another hygrometer it says exactly same thing that the digital command shows on sportsman. i cannot get my humidity over 50% without covering a ventilation hole and cutting off oxygen which i heard is a no no. i use 2 trays of water one in top one in bottom and use the sponges in both it wont go over 50% unless i cut the ventilation hole in half thanks

 

[GAQuail]

yes i got another hygrometer it says exactly same thing that the digital command shows on sportsman.  i cannot get my humidity over 50% without covering a ventilation hole and cutting off oxygen which i heard is a no no.  i use 2 trays of water one in top one in bottom and use the sponges in both it wont go over 50% unless i cut the ventilation hole in half thanks

Sounds like your air outside of the incubator is really dry. You may need a humidifier in the room the incubator is located.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

You mean you're getting blood rings? That usually indicates egg viability or bacteria invasion issues. Your humidity isn't whacked enough to cause problems that early. How is the temperature?

 

[Cody32691]

temp runs steady 100, yes very low humidity outside the incubator

 

[Cody32691]

You mean you're getting blood rings? That usually indicates egg viability or bacteria invasion issues. Your humidity isn't whacked enough to cause problems that early. How is the temperature?

what do you mean by egg viability or bacteria invasion and how can i prevent it. sorry for being a little slow thanks for the help

 

[ChickenLegs13]

I aint the fastest horse on the track either. By viability I mean the quality of the hatching eggs and the quality of the parents that produced the embryo.
Bacteria can enter the eggs and kill the embryo causing blood spots or rings. Said bacteria can originate from many places; the coop, nest, germs on your hand, storage conditions and also the incubator itself.
Some people only use the cleanest eggs, wash their hands before handling them, and disinfect the bator before and after use.

 

[GAQuail]

temp runs steady 100, yes very low humidity outside the incubator

That's your problem with humidity then. Is a room humidifier a possibility? You should be able to find one for less than $50. As others have stated low humidity will not cause your embryo's to die early in the incubation process. You stated temp runs 100. I guessing that is from the built in temperature reading on the 1502. Have you verified that temperature is accurate using another accurate thermometer?

 

[Cody32691]

That's your problem with humidity then. Is a room humidifier a possibility? You should be able to find one for less than $50. As others have stated low humidity will not cause your embryo's to die early in the incubation process. You stated temp runs 100. I guessing that is from the built in temperature reading on the 1502. Have you verified that temperature is accurate using another accurate thermometer?

yes i have another digital thermometer thats supposed to be within .2 of a degree accurate, the parents are all top quality shouldnt be the issue i think maybe i should disinfect incubator since it sit out all summer but like i said i cleaned it before i stored it