Setting Feb 16, want to join in>Hatch-Along

[MommaSampson]

I seem to be having a humidity problem this time. The first night I got up and it was 16. It's currently at 25 but I can't seem to get it much above that. I think I have to many eggs in there. I went from 10 my first time to 30 this time.

 

[hokankai]

What kind of incubator are you using? Have you calibrated your hygrometer? The number of eggs doesn't affect the humidity, the surface area of the water reservoir does. What type of water reservoir are you using?

 

[farmhand]

I have 30 eggs coming today or tomorrow. Haven't done this for over 50 years. So I guess I'm a newbe.
farmhand aka Clifford aka Grandpa

 

[liljunie]

Day 3 and I candled a few eggs...may be some veins but I know it is early!! So hard to wait! It would be great if I had 21 incubators so I could have chicks hatching every day!

I went to lunch with a friend and she asked me how many chickens are you going to have? I tried to explain chicken math but she looked confused.

 

[MommaSampson]

What kind of incubator are you using? Have you calibrated your hygrometer? The number of eggs doesn't affect the humidity, the surface area of the water reservoir does. What type of water reservoir are you using?

I have a Little Giant still air. I didn't have any trouble last time so I thought maybe since I have more eggs using the air that it was lower. I actually have a bowl with a sponge, water in the reservoirs plus a rolled up washcloth in there this time. Last time all I had was a bowl with a sponge.

 

[LeBlackbird]

I have a Little Giant still air.

Well there's your problem right there!

Little Giants are notorious for having Humidity and Temperature stability problems, and they get worse with age (I cannot tell you how many horror stories I've heard)

 

[hokankai]

I have a Little Giant still air. I didn't have any trouble last time so I thought maybe since I have more eggs using the air that it was lower. I actually have a bowl with a sponge, water in the reservoirs plus a rolled up washcloth in there this time. Last time all I had was a bowl with a sponge.

There is no way the humidity is that low with that much water in there unless something is really wonky. I suggest doing the salt test (bowl of salt with just enough water added to it to make it look like wet sand, not soup...non-iodized salt. Put your hygrometer and the bowl inside of a ziplock bag and seal it. Leave it for 12 hours and then read the humidity) with your hygrometer overnight to see if it's reading correctly first of all. Just check it in the morning and if it reads 75% then something is going on with your incubator. Even if the eggs were the reason why it is so low, that much water surface area should be plenty. I have 48 eggs in my forced air incubator with only a tablespoon of water in a tiny cup and my humidity is hovering around 35-40%.

The other thing I would check is make sure the lid is on all the way, because air leakage would drop the humidity as well.

 

[MommaSampson]

I double checked my lid and made sure it was nestled down on there good. I have a digital thermometer that tells me temp and humidity. It went up 3 degrees just doing that so maybe I had a leak? Time will tell. I told my hubby that if our rich uncle ever gets out of the poor house I want the cabinet incubator that I found.

He told me he wasn't paying that kind of money for an incubator unless I made massive amounts of money off of our chickens.

On another note: Curiosity got the best of me and I candled all 30 of my eggs; couldn't see through 2 of my Welsummer eggs so I'm not sure but I only had 1 white egg that didn't have veins and since it's only day 3 I just may not have been able to see it. 27/30 isn't too bad!

 

[hokankai]

I'm trying to hold off until day 7 to candle but it's so hard! These are banty eggs though and for some reason the smaller eggs are harder for me to see development early on.

 

[McPhersonFarm]

I'm trying to hold off until day 7 to candle but it's so hard! These are banty eggs though and for some reason the smaller eggs are harder for me to see development early on.

LOL I never can not candle hahaha I even candled my eggs that have been in two days LOL! I even just went and bought a sportsman LOL I'm in trouble. My fiance says ok you bought a 700.00 incubator and now I have to pay to fill it right!?!??! LOL!!!!