vintage incubator

[oldtimer5]

I have a very old incubator, looks like a upside down wash tub. It has the original mercury thermometer. The temp. is staying very consistant but I'm having trouble getting the humidity above 35%. Any help with the humidity? and do I have a chance of being successful?
Thanks for your help,
Doug

 

[kandyg_99]

You Could Try Damp Sponges To Raise Humidity...

 

[Coops Dad]

Is the hygrometer calibrated? You have to know the instruments are right before you rely on them too much.

OTOH, the hatches I've done "dry" have had as good a hatch rate as my humidity-corrected hatches have been (on average). You'd just need to boost the humidity during the last few days, and the idea above about sponges would work. Put a clean sponge into a shallow dish and add warm water to keep the sponge damp.

 

[oldtimer5]

I only have a cheep digital hygrometer and I don't know how to calibrate it. My mercury thermometer only has a range of 90 to 110 Deg. so I can't use the ice water trick.

 

[Coops Dad]

Time to upgrade unless you're ok with reduced hatch rate and increased chick mortality.

 

[Dinoroar]

You can ‘Calibrate’ your thermometer to a medical one. They’re designed to be really accurate in just the right zone you need to be able to monitor for incubating.

To raise humidity a sponge of a water container with larger surface area should raise it... or you could try to raise the ambient humidity around it. I’ve read in old timey books about setting the whole incubator on a tray of damp sand.

Less automated incubators need lots of tending to monitor etc but as long as your temps don’t spike high and cook the eggs then sure you have a chance of success.

Also my understanding is that humidity is cumulative so don’t worry too much if it fluctuates but maybe monitor your air cell development and adjust accordingly.

 

[oldtimer5]

Thanks for your help. I'll try using the medical thermometer.

 

[Dinoroar]

I’ve found that to be the easiest way for me.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Any help with the humidity?

I'm not familiar with that incubator but if it is that old the way you control the humidity pretty much has to be with water surface area. The depth of the water doesn't matter except for how fast it runs dry. The more water surface area the more water evaporates so the higher the humidity.

I suspect you have water reservoirs in the bottom of that. Which ones you fill will determine humidity. Adding another container of water can increase the surface area. Putting a sponge or cloth in there so it can wick out moisture from a water reservoir to create more wet surface area can help.

Just for fun I'd love to see a photo of that. It should be interesting. If you can show what it looks like inside and what you have for water reservoirs we may be able to offer specific suggestions.

and do I have a chance of being successful?

Thousands of years ago the Egyptians and the Chinese were incubating eggs and brooding chicks successfully. It was a family business, the techniques were taught through the generations. Think about that, thousands of years ago. Of course you have a chance at success. You also have a chance to fail but that's true even if you are using the latest most modern incubator. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[oldtimer5]

This is my old incubator.