The 10th Annual BYC Easter Hatch-a-long!!!!!

[ronott1]

Idk if I’m even going now, a lot going on, but idk. We’ll see. I hope I do. But I just don’t want to start eggs just in case.

And yeah, it is definitely fun!! I have had it running since that post so like a few hours and just checked it a bit ago and it said it was up to temp but according to my Brinsea spotcheck thermometer it was like 2 degrees high? It is set to 99.5 but according to the Brinsea, it was running like 101.4, even 102 at one point, so idk if my Brinsea is off or what. But the instructions on the IncuView do say that it’s recommended to have the room the incubator is in at 70-80 degrees so I turned the heat up to 70 when I turned it on and it’s a pretty small room and stays pretty warm so maybe that is why?? I turned the temperature in the room down. I will see if that helps but I will also let it run longer. Maybe it just needs to stabilize longer. But I also had not added any water to it so idk if that causes it to run hotter?? So I added water but I think I added too much as the humidity climbed right up. I will check it again in a bit to see what it is at but it was like 55-60 almost immediately. But idk if that’s accurate with how fast it went up which is why I will check it again in a bit. It seemed to stop going down at 10% and stayed there.

The important thing is for the temperature in the room to not vary too much. Keeping in between 65 and 70F should work well.

 

[MagpieDucks]

It’s a little late, but today is National Poultry Day!!

 

[Goodwinsheavenlyhomestead]

Count me in if not too late. I may or may not put in some fbcm or showgirl or oegb or mf eggs. If not, i will let you know.

 

[igorsMistress]

Idk if I’m even going now, a lot going on, but idk. We’ll see. I hope I do. But I just don’t want to start eggs just in case.

And yeah, it is definitely fun!! I have had it running since that post so like a few hours and just checked it a bit ago and it said it was up to temp but according to my Brinsea spotcheck thermometer it was like 2 degrees high? It is set to 99.5 but according to the Brinsea, it was running like 101.4, even 102 at one point, so idk if my Brinsea is off or what. But the instructions on the IncuView do say that it’s recommended to have the room the incubator is in at 70-80 degrees so I turned the heat up to 70 when I turned it on and it’s a pretty small room and stays pretty warm so maybe that is why?? I turned the temperature in the room down. I will see if that helps but I will also let it run longer. Maybe it just needs to stabilize longer. But I also had not added any water to it so idk if that causes it to run hotter?? So I added water but I think I added too much as the humidity climbed right up. I will check it again in a bit to see what it is at but it was like 55-60 almost immediately. But idk if that’s accurate with how fast it went up which is why I will check it again in a bit. It seemed to stop going down at 10% and stayed there.

Well I hope you still get to come to AZ! I get it though, life sometimes likes to put a wrench in the works.

It takes time to figure out a bator in our own environment. Hot/cold and ac or heat definitely take their toll. Eggs will change humidity too. I use only a couple tablespoons at a time for mine, brings it up a bit over my target and gradually decreases. A paper towel or sponge can help spread the water to a larger surface and keep it steady longer but more area to wet means less water for higher humidity.

You can calibrate your hygro and a separate thermometer too so you know how accurate your readings are if you think they're off.

Good luck!

 

[Pensmaster]

So busy! But guess what? I've been making glass trophies for Serama shows!! Mixing chickens and glass work has been fun! I'll get some pictures for you. How've you been?

That would be awesome. Best of both.
Doing well here. Just finished my coop and it’s full already.

 

[ShrekDawg]

Well I hope you still get to come to AZ! I get it though, life sometimes likes to put a wrench in the works.

It takes time to figure out a bator in our own environment. Hot/cold and ac or heat definitely take their toll. Eggs will change humidity too. I use only a couple tablespoons at a time for mine, brings it up a bit over my target and gradually decreases. A paper towel or sponge can help spread the water to a larger surface and keep it steady longer but more area to wet means less water for higher humidity.

You can calibrate your hygro and a separate thermometer too so you know how accurate your readings are if you think they're off.

Good luck!

Thank you though, I hope so too!! And yeah, for sure. It just came up so fast too. Idk.

And thanks!! Checked it again this morning and it is still running high so I think I’m going to pick up another thermometer somewhere else to be sure. Though I should clarify, the reading on the actual incubator, like the built in one, says it is at the right temp, but my Brinsea spot check which I stick in the vent and leave it a few minutes to let it settle down says it is about 2 degrees too high. So I’m thinking I need a third tie breaker thermometer and possibly order another Brinsea in case mine is faulty. I also think I will buy a hygrometer somewhere today because I am not sure I trust the built in one. Especially since it was reading 63% this morning. Shouldn’t it have gone down overnight not up???

And yeah, I think my other mistake was that I just took a small mug and poured like a cup of water into it ha filled two rings, starting with the outer, and the outer ring is huge, goes around the whole incubator, so I think that might be my problem. It did say to start with the outer ring but I think I may need to start with the inner ring.

 

[igorsMistress]

Thank you though, I hope so too!! And yeah, for sure. It just came up so fast too. Idk.

And thanks!! Checked it again this morning and it is still running high so I think I’m going to pick up another thermometer somewhere else to be sure. Though I should clarify, the reading on the actual incubator, like the built in one, says it is at the right temp, but my Brinsea spot check which I stick in the vent and leave it a few minutes to let it settle down says it is about 2 degrees too high. So I’m thinking I need a third tie breaker thermometer and possibly order another Brinsea in case mine is faulty. I also think I will buy a hygrometer somewhere today because I am not sure I trust the built in one. Especially since it was reading 63% this morning. Shouldn’t it have gone down overnight not up???

And yeah, I think my other mistake was that I just took a small mug and poured like a cup of water into it ha filled two rings, starting with the outer, and the outer ring is huge, goes around the whole incubator, so I think that might be my problem. It did say to start with the outer ring but I think I may need to start with the inner ring.

No it will creep up as the water warms from the temp in the incubator. Small additions of water, wait and see, add a little more if necessary.

Eggs will have an impact on the amount you add too.

You can test your hygrometer by filling a milk bottle cap with salt, adding enough water to dampen it, if you add too much just tip it a bit to let excess run out. Then put that in a ziplock bag with the hygro for 24 hours. It should read 75% and if not you'll know how far off it is and can adjust accordingly.

 

[ShrekDawg]

No it will creep up as the water warms from the temp in the incubator. Small additions of water, wait and see, add a little more if necessary.

Eggs will have an impact on the amount you add too.

You can test your hygrometer by filling a milk bottle cap with salt, adding enough water to dampen it, if you add too much just tip it a bit to let excess run out. Then put that in a ziplock bag with the hygro for 24 hours. It should read 75% and if not you'll know how far off it is and can adjust accordingly.

Ahh okay. That makes sense. I think I definitely need to add water more slowly and less of it next time. I just wanted to get it up from 10 and didn’t know how high or low it would be with our house and stuff since I’d never had an incubator or how much each ring would raise it but now I do. I suppose it is probably better to figure this stuff out before I put the eggs in? I think I will wait a while for the water to evaporate and humidity to lower but I would love to get it to stay lower. Guess I just need to add less water next time.

Thanks!! That is very helpful!! I will have to try that when I get one.

 

[igorsMistress]

Ahh okay. That makes sense. I think I definitely need to add water more slowly and less of it next time. I just wanted to get it up from 10 and didn’t know how high or low it would be with our house and stuff since I’d never had an incubator or how much each ring would raise it but now I do. I suppose it is probably better to figure this stuff out before I put the eggs in? I think I will wait a while for the water to evaporate and humidity to lower but I would love to get it to stay lower. Guess I just need to add less water next time.

Thanks!! That is very helpful!! I will have to try that when I get one.

You'll do great I'm sure. It's a fun experience and I've learned something new with each hatch.

 

[ShrekDawg]

You'll do great I'm sure. It's a fun experience and I've learned something new with each hatch.

Thank you!! I sure hope so!! It’s a little scary having their little lives literally in my hands though and if I make a mistake or something, they pay for it. but I am super excited to learn and to have little baby chicks!!