Temps and Humidity

[MultipleAnimals]

Glad you got a thermometer. . But you stated your using a nightlight? You need a thermostat to control the heat from that..

Why do I need to have a thermostat for a nightlight? My nightlight is small and plugs into the wall.

 

[Rod-T]

Your not using on a wall your using it in your incubator. .. how are you regulating heat?

 

[Egghead_Jr]

What you use to measure temp and humidity are always suspect until you calibrate them. You should perform a salt test on the hygrometer. I've seen them off by well over 10% RH and then there are those that simply are broken. Perform a salt test to calibrate, takes bit over 4 hours with only 5 minutes prep. As for thermometer use a medical thermometer from medicine cabinet to calibrate the unit in incubator.

Salt test:

milk/juice or whatever cap filled with salt then add drops of water until saturated. Poor off standing water.

Put cap and hygrometer in sealed container. I use quart ziploc bag and provide small pillow of air.

Wait 4 hours minimum, 6 is better and take the reading of hygrometer. Subtract that from 75 for calibration #.

Ex. If your reading is 82 then 75-82= -7 You'd always subtract 7 from your readings for true RH.

Write the calibration on masking tape and stick it to incubator as a reminder.

 

[Rod-T]

What you use to measure temp and humidity are always suspect until you calibrate them. You should perform a salt test on the hygrometer. I've seen them off by well over 10% RH and then there are those that simply are broken. Perform a salt test to calibrate, takes bit over 4 hours with only 5 minutes prep. As for thermometer use a medical thermometer from medicine cabinet to calibrate the unit in incubator.

Salt test:

milk/juice or whatever cap filled with salt then add drops of water until saturated. Poor off standing water.

Put cap and hygrometer in sealed container. I use quart ziploc bag and provide small pillow of air.

Wait 4 hours minimum, 6 is better and take the reading of hygrometer. Subtract that from 75 for calibration #.

Ex. If your reading is 82 then 75-82= -7 You'd always subtract 7 from your readings for true RH.

Write the calibration on masking tape and stick it to incubator as a reminder.

She doesn't want to do that.. she want to wing it.. she's regulating heat by cracking open the lid..

 

[MultipleAnimals]

So Using The Nightlight and A Fan Worked. Out of 12 eggs i had 5 develope and make it to lock down, i had 4 hatch and 1 DIS just after it started absorbing the Yolk. All In All I Had An 80% Hatch, because only five developed.

 

[Rod-T]

So Using The Nightlight and A Fan Worked. Out of 12 eggs i had 5 develope and make it to lock down, i had 4 hatch and 1 DIS just after it started absorbing the Yolk. All In All I Had An 80% Hatch, because only five developed.

4 Out Of 12.. Is A 33% hatch.. Not 80... Do you Feel Bad that some died for your experiment .. I hope you you get a thermostat. . It's only 15.00.. why make them suffer?

 

[Heatherschicks1]

I feel hatching is a learning experience and we all have made mistakes in the beginning. I don't feel even when we are learning we mean to harm or intend to make a mistake forget to flip an egg or first time hatches to impatient to let a chicken hatch itself. We make mistakes make adjustments and learn from it. Making a at home Brooder can be harder to help regulate the tempture but trying it out first is the only way you are going to know. The problem with your humidity being to high might be how your incubator is set up. Would love some pictures and I would love to offer any advice to help you improve it!! Congrats on your hatch.

 

[Rod-T]

I feel hatching is a learning experience and we all have made mistakes in the beginning. I don't feel even when we are learning we mean to harm or intend to make a mistake forget to flip an egg or first time hatches to impatient to let a chicken hatch itself. We make mistakes make adjustments and learn from it. Making a at home Brooder can be harder to help regulate the tempture but trying it out first is the only way you are going to know. The problem with your humidity being to high might be how your incubator is set up. Would love some pictures and I would love to offer any advice to help you improve it!! Congrats on your hatch.

you should read the whole thread.. she doesn't feel she made a mistake. . It's a successs!! There no trying to help her either.. I've tried... if it was a case of learning ya.. but it's not..

 

[Heatherschicks1]

Without pictures of her incubator it's hard to tell. I do agree to an extent with a thermostat but she could have also used a dimmer to help regulate the tempture manually just like a still air basic incubator. I think a push in a simple direction is a good way to go espaclly with beginning hatchers. I do always recommend testing a new incubator for a good 5 days with dummy eggs or just a couple to test it. I also stress in having the thermometers/ hydrometer and a second thermometer to have a good reference in case one is not working. I have had my fair share of failures in the beginning but it takes a few to learn what not to do next time.

 

[Rod-T]

She don't want to do any of that..