Setting up Incubator

[Miss Chick]

Hi,

Im new to this thread and just wondered if anyone can offer a bit of help and advice

I have a Hova Bator still air incubator - eggs waiting to go in it tomorrow but . . . .

Ive had the incubator set up for 3 days and having problems controlling temp/humidity

Its ranging 37.1 - 37.3 C (is this ok for temp?)

and Humidity is where my real problems are . . .averaging 81% (and this today is with NO water in it at all)

Any advice appreciated

Jan x

 

[cochins1088]

I would raise the tempature a bit and aim for 37.7 or 37.8 but the range is fine, it will naturally fluctuate like that as the surrounding tempatures change, you just need to keep on eye on it. I have the same incubator and usually have great hatches, in fact my first ever was a 95% hatch rate. One thing you have to watch as I've figured out over the years, is that the fluctuations get much worse with the more egg you put in since it's still air. If you have the exact same one as me, it says it can hold 42 chicken eggs, but do not try that. I have and have killed eggs as it rose 6 degrees because of the lack of air flow, and I experienced this multiple times. I would say 25 maximum, less is better. Your humidity is insane as you obviously know. Is it 80% humidity outside of the incuabtor? Or just inside? Because you need to aim for about 45%, half of what it is.

 

[cochins1088]

By the way, that's one beautiful hen! What breed and color is it?

 

[Miss Chick]

Thanks for the reply

Ive been playing with the Incubator all day, trying to reduce humidity

in the end, ive emptied it out, dried it and started from scratch, ive dribbled a little water in then waited an hour or so, checked it and dribbled in a little more, this seems to be working!

Now I have a temp range of 37.4 - 37.9 C
and Humidity of 59 - 65% (Inside)

Ive got 24 eggs in total to go in tomorrow, will these have an effect on temp and Humidity levels?

They are Pekin Bantams, of all colours

 

[Miss Chick]

P.S

Piccy is a silver partridge Pekin Bantam

 

[cochins1088]

Your tempature range is great. Your humidity needs to get even lower though, if it stays that high the sair sacs won't develope properly. That's the humidity that you should aim for during lockdown, I know you have been having troubles but it should be around 40- 45% for the first 18 days. The eggs will be cooler when you put them in, so it will take time for the incubator to get back up to heat, but it will eventually, So don't worry if you look a half an hour later and it's not up to tempature yet. They shouldn't affect it, it will just take some time for it to get back up to heat. They also won't effect the humidity. But one thing is, you do already have some non-hatching eggs in there temporarily? The thermometer needs to be placed on top of the eggs for an accurate tempature. The tempature above the eggs and on the wire mesh aren't the same. The thermometer should say 100 degrees fahrenheit when it's laying on top of the eggs so I always use some from my refridgerater and throw them away before my actual eggs go in.