Why you should always test you hygrometers before you start incubating

[momma-hen]

the thing is, when I fill the reserves as specified by hovabator, the humidity runs about 80%.

 

[chicktwit]

I was getting 25-30% & read it needed to be 40 so I added water. I didn't know you could test them. I thought mine was correct. I've candled but I'm worried because some don't look like they are OK. I wanted these babies so bad.

 

[momma-hen]

Is the salt/water mix reusable?

 

[Intheswamp]

Here's a link to an article I posted a while back, it might be helpful in calibrating your hygrometers...
Calibrate Your Hygrometer - Two Methods

Best wishes,
Ed

 

[Germaine_11.20]

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
I never fill all the reserves like it tells me to. I fill about 1/2 and then test it overnight. That is why it is a good idea to have a seperate hatcher and incubator. You can get one set up and ready before lockdown.

It doesn't have to be perfect because it won't stay that number anyway. As the days go on the moisture evaporates some and you have to add more (unless you live in a very humid climate.)

Mine is good for about two days and then I have to add water. I use the blue plastic tubing found in the pet department for aquariums (it is silicone) I have a 50 cc syringe that I fill with nice warm water, insert through the vent plug and aim it where I want the water to go and then push the plunger slowly. I can add a little water here and there in the incubator that way. Area is more important than density-the larger the area of water the more the water can evaporate. I also like to boil my water and let it cool to proper temp. Then I know the water is not carrying any bacteria.

That said, yesterday I had two chicks hatch out in my incubator during a dry hatch incubation. It was around 20% in there and I didn't mark my egg date right.
I did not know they were due to hatch. I kept hearing peeping and thought I was nuts. So in the space of 6 hours in two different incubators I had two chicks hatch out. Go figure. They were my eggs though and not shipped. I was testing fertility. They were fertile all right!

 

[LALADY1101]

I want to thank the original poster that started this thread. I just tried to hatch some silkies and didn't get a single one. Out of 8 original eggs only 1 pipped and was shrink wrapped and died. I have more eggs on the way, so I decided to do this test last night. The main ther/hydro that I watched (simply because it was new) was off 10%. I already had a lot of trouble maintaining the humidity through out the incubation, but then to find out it was even lower than what I thought! So basically what it boils down to is that there were several times during incubation that the humidity was in the low 20's and even at hatch time it was going down in the 40-45% range without me realizing it! I was devastated to lose these babies, but now I know what to look for......so again thank you.......hopefully you've saved some babies lives and me more heartache!