Still air

[gameandmore]

I have a question about a still air incubator. Is 102 okay for it? And what should the humidity be? I'm trying to get everything right this is my first hatch.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Measuring temperature at the top level of eggs in a still air incubator, yes, 101-102F is exactly right.

The humidity question and #'s get thrown around a lot. I'll just say two things about it:

1) Relative humidity is not the same as a wet bulb reading. My belief is the old literature that speaks of high #'s are wet bulb. The hygrometers we are using is a relative humidity and you should not be incubating at 60% then up to 80% last three days. This is rediculusly too high!


2) Candle your eggs. Look at what is going on with the air sac. Higher humidity will slow the growth of it and lower humidity increase it. To use a fair # to start with try 40%. After 7-10 days check the air sac, raise or lower your humidity accordingly. At last 3 days a good # would be 55-60%. Below is a diagram that gives example of proper air sac development. This is not exacting science but a good model to shoot for. You don't need to be adjusting humidity everyday rather realize that the air sac is important and there is a large range for error that will be perfectly OK.

 

[gameandmore]

Thanks that's really helpful!! Ok well they're in! So should I candle on the third day or wait till the seventh day? As of now I have 4 candeling sessions planned.

 

[gander007]

Measuring temperature at the top level of eggs in a still air incubator, yes, 101-102F is exactly right.

The humidity question and #'s get thrown around a lot. I'll just say two things about it:

1) Relative humidity is not the same as a wet bulb reading. My belief is the old literature that speaks of high #'s are wet bulb. The hygrometers we are using is a relative humidity and you should not be incubating at 60% then up to 80% last three days. This is rediculusly too high!


2) Candle your eggs. Look at what is going on with the air sac. Higher humidity will slow the growth of it and lower humidity increase it. To use a fair # to start with try 40%. After 7-10 days check the air sac, raise or lower your humidity accordingly. At last 3 days a good # would be 55-60%. Below is a diagram that gives example of proper air sac development. This is not exacting science but a good model to shoot for. You don't need to be adjusting humidity everyday rather realize that the air sac is important and there is a large range for error that will be perfectly OK.

You got that down so X2

Candle day's 7, 14, 18 and mark the shell as seen in upper photo

 

[gameandmore]

Thanks!!! It is day seven and I just candled, I did see movement and eyes, but I saw that on some eggs one half of the egg had the dark mass and the other side was clear. I think its because they are sitting flat on the incubator as opposed to fat end up. Does this mean there got stuck to the shell? Or that they where just laying on that side?
Thanks

 

[gameandmore]

Ok so today is day 17 my incubator has been good at maintaining temperature until today, when I went to to sleep it read 99 so I adjusted a little, when I woke up it read 97..... Is that low enough to kill? Or only enough to further the hatching?

 

[carcar80]

Ok so today is day 17 my incubator has been good at maintaining temperature until today, when I went to to sleep it read 99 so I adjusted a little, when I woke up it read 97..... Is that low enough to kill? Or only enough to further the hatching?

Better too low than too high. Just be very careful on adjusting temp UP. Still air is very touchy as you know. I'm cautious to never adjust- particularly UP- unless I have a few hours home without having to go out so I can keep a close eye.

I'm fighting with my still air right now trying to get my eggs in. It's been fine for over a week and now... :/

 

[carcar80]

Maybe it's all this crazy weather we've had come through?

 

[gameandmore]

Yes its been pretty crazy! I hear pips and I'm scared.some the aircells were pretty big I'm scared they will puncture them early

 

[carcar80]

How did it go? You may have updated somewhere else and missed it.