Just went (going through) first incubator hatch and having trouble assessing some things. Like how is it that during my hatch (after day 18), my hygromometer read between 65% and 75% and a brief high of about 82%, and never was there any misting of the windows at hatching and it actually seemed dry compared to the misting of the windows others report. Is there some other factor? Also I didn't have much water in the incubator because my humidity levels were reading on the high side. Also how is it that some people can report no problem opening the incubator to take chicks out while others report fatal consequences for the remaining eggs? I believe there can be fatal consequences for the remaining eggs (eg. shrink wrapped in shell) but what is happening when there is not? Is it that the humidity is so high in that case that it doesn't matter? Is it that it doesn't matter as long as none of the eggs are pipped?
Quote:Are you hatching all the eggs on same date.. Or did you stagger them.. If they are for the same date, you can leave the chicks couple days to dry out.. they have a "sac" that feeds them.. By that time all the eggs should be hatched. etc.. If you have some late eggs... I'd barely raise the lid and remove the dry chicks to my brooder.. I have 4 eggs that should hatch by tomorrow myself from a little red hen that abandon them a week ago..(my goof with 8 little chicks... ) I heard a peep about 3 times so far.. So if all goes well I'm hoping tomorrow.. My humididy is about 50%.. I even added a sponge.. Edited Update.. I heard the peeping louder and check to see if it was piping yet... and the little chick is out....
Did you calibrate your hygrometer? If not, now may be a good time to do that. My humidity did get that high as well and my windows didn't mist up. As to opening the bator to get chicks out: I suspect for some it is a matter of weighing which is worse for the eggs left, staying in with unruly chicks or risking a brief bator opening. I haven't had to do that yet, but I know that it's important to be flexible and evaluate each situation.
I think what kind of incubator you have may be a factor in whether you can open it or not as well, plus atmospheric conditions in your home, etc. I have a Brinsea Octogon and the lid is curved down. So when I raise it slightly, most of the warm and moist is retained, even if I've introducted a crack on the side. I think the top opening incubators that are more like a flip lid have more complete heat and moisture loss so a longer recovery. If I open mine just long enough to toss in a new sponge, the humidity immediately climbs back up and it's so rock solid on temp that I never lose more than a degree or two and it's right back up within seconds once the lid is securly back on. I'm in my third day of hatching now and it's a small incubator. I have opened it enough to take out chicks both yesterday and today. (cracked open, not completely open) I have 7 eggs left and two are zipping right now. So it did not kill them to open it carefully. I dont think I could have done that with a stryafoam incubator that opens on the top. Also, the 'dew point' may be related to other atmospheric conditions. I forget my meterology but you need both temp and relative humidity (saturation) to get the mist. And maybe the glass has to be cool on the other side or different enough...?? but its not just at 85% humidity you get misting over or something like that. Others will be smarter and know for sure.
