Sponges vs. plain water resevior in icubator?

[sweeterdeeter42]

I have read that some people are putting sponges in their incubators. What are the advantages of this compared to just filling the reservoir with water?

 

[duckking]

Some people can't reach the necessary %RH just using their reservoirs, so they add sponges to increase the surface area of water available. Normally this is when you go into lock down and require the high humidity levels for a successful hatch.

 

[emvickrey]

I ran out of sponges so I used a wash cloth. Maily because there are duck eggs in that bator. Normally I cut sponges in strips that will fit in the reservoirs and lay a whole one at the end where the turner has the motor but not by the motor. For easy access to add water to it if needed. We use electric heaters and they dry the air out real bad so I have to add an extra sponge or two in the winter. In the summer I just put the strips in the wells. For me, it seems to keep the humidity where it's suppose to be longer.

In this months issue of Backyard Poultry, somebody came up with the idea of using a food dehydrator as an incubator. They used 2 of the trays and taped the vent holes so the humidity would stay in. They put a thermometer/hydrometer in it to test it and the temp stayed between 99 and 101. It was a dehydrator that loked like a microwave not one of those round ones. It has a fan in the back of it and they put something around it to keep the chicks out of it. They hatched chicks in it.

I bet the round ones can be used too. HMMMM!

I need to get to looking on craigslist.

I was wondering if those coolers that can be used as a cooler or a warmer can be removated into an incubator.I'm sure a microwave could as long as it was reworked and add a heating coil and the nuking parts removed. They have a fan in them that can be used and it's covered. The impression in the bottom where the class plate goes can be used as the well. I bet it would work. I may have to ask around to find me a microwave somebody don't want to try it out.

I sure wish DH would get to work on my cabinet incubator. I would have plenty of room for eggs then.

 

[BorderKelpie]

I use sponges now because of a sad incident with a shallow pan of water I had in mine. Every other day though, I take the sponge out, microwave it for a minute and place it back. I worry about bacterial growth.

(The shallow pan wasn't shallow enough. A little bitty blue chick drowned in it while I was at work. I still feel guilty.)

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
I had that happen once. Made me want to kick myself for not seeing the danger and not fixing it before it happened.

 

[alexanye]

I want to make sure I am understanding correctly, towels worked as well as sponges?

I ran out of sponges so I used a wash cloth. Maily because there are duck eggs in that bator. Normally I cut sponges in strips that will fit in the reservoirs and lay a whole one at the end where the turner has the motor but not by the motor. For easy access to add water to it if needed. We use electric heaters and they dry the air out real bad so I have to add an extra sponge or two in the winter. In the summer I just put the strips in the wells. For me, it seems to keep the humidity where it's suppose to be longer.

In this months issue of Backyard Poultry, somebody came up with the idea of using a food dehydrator as an incubator. They used 2 of the trays and taped the vent holes so the humidity would stay in. They put a thermometer/hydrometer in it to test it and the temp stayed between 99 and 101. It was a dehydrator that loked like a microwave not one of those round ones. It has a fan in the back of it and they put something around it to keep the chicks out of it. They hatched chicks in it.

I bet the round ones can be used too. HMMMM!

I need to get to looking on craigslist.

I was wondering if those coolers that can be used as a cooler or a warmer can be removated into an incubator.I'm sure a microwave could as long as it was reworked and add a heating coil and the nuking parts removed. They have a fan in them that can be used and it's covered. The impression in the bottom where the class plate goes can be used as the well. I bet it would work. I may have to ask around to find me a microwave somebody don't want to try it out.

I sure wish DH would get to work on my cabinet incubator. I would have plenty of room for eggs then.

I want to make sure I am understanding correctly, towels worked as well as sponges? I have a small incubator and I am going to need help getting the humidity up for hatching time!

 

[McChooky]

Sponges cost a dollar.You can add as many as you like or remove a few to lower the humidity unlike a rag or towel (or reservoir) I rinse mine in warm water before adding them to the incubator so the temperature doesn't rise or drop .You can control the humidity a lot easier using sponges. I like not having to worry about getting germs in the water reservoir.