need help with humidity! please!

[Ariel91]

First question, have the hygrometers been checked for accuracy? I would do that if it hasn't been done. Next on the list, I would candle and check the air cells, this might ease your mind if you can see how the egg is fairing. If you check the hygrometers and the are accurate and/or check your air cells and they are too small (indicating that the humidity is too high) and you are running dry, you can put a bowl of uncooked rice or unpopped popcorn in the bator to soak up some of the humidity. If you are only on day four there is plenty of time to adjust and make it right.

Now, the first hatch, what you are describing was too high humidity during the incubation. The air cells didn't grow enough which left too much room in the egg so the chicks grew too big and couldn't turn to get into position. The chick with the bubbles had breathed in the extra moisture and would have drowned had you not intervined. That is my observation.

Now, I'm going to give you a link to look over to try to help you with humidity and determining if your air cells are progressing well and how to check, and what to do if they are too big or too small (at days 7/14/18).  http://www.pasreform.com/academy/fr...ubation/148-incubation-at-high-altitudes.html
Good luck!!

Thanks so much, I am keeping a close eye on the humidity and now it's at 50-60% I know that's high from some of the posts I've read, but do you think it's dangerously high? I will def keep track off the air cells this time.

 

[Ariel91]

You mentioned that the incubator is in the garage and the ambient humidity is high where you live. I would then assume that air coming into the incubator will contain the ambient moisture thus there would be no need to add water for the first 18 day. Also you say that your incubator is set at 102 degrees, does the thermometer inside the incubator assuming you have one there, does it read the same, 102 degrees? My experience with high temps is that the chick develops faster and hatch earlier, low temps hatch later. Like AmyLynn said, check the air sack to see if it gets larger. I use a pencil to mark the air sack on my eggs, this way I know it increases as the days go by. Good luck with your hatch.

the secondary thermometer reads between 96-100° depending on if I'm candling or trying to "fix" the humidity. The lowest I've seen it was 90°, the glass rocks in the bottom of then incubator seem to be holding and regulating the heat pretty well. Even when I cracked the lid (put it on caddy corner) the heater keeps it at 96-100°. The digital always reads 102°.
Thanks for the ishes, hopefully I can stay on top of this one and have a better hatch.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks so much, I am keeping a close eye on the humidity and now it's at 50-60% I know that's high from some of the posts I've read, but do you think it's dangerously high? I will def keep track off the air cells this time.

In my opinion it's way too high, but you'll know if your air cells aren't growing.

 

[Ariel91]

Are you running AC in your home right now?  If so, that's your solution:  Move that bator into the house where the air is dryer.  Do the salt test to calibrate your hygrometers.  Age of the device, or even how much you spent on it has NOTHING to do with their accuracy.  Then, calibrate your thermometers against a good quality medical fever thermometer.  (Either digital or bulb.)  Most are guaranteed to be accurate to +/- .2*.

I am running AC but... it's an old unit, lol. Humidity seems to be (and has read on a gauge I set for kicks and giggles) higher than the garage. I don't really understand it. I'll calibrate my thermometers, thanks!

 

[Ariel91]

In my opinion it's way too high, but you'll know if your air cells aren't growing.

I was thinking of adding a small cup of rice like you suggested before, I had tried just drying the incubator out (wiping out the extra drops of water in the channels and remove a small 1/2" by 1" sponge under the grate and turner) and getting more air flow into it, but it didn't help much. What would you suggest to be the best humidity? I've got growth in most of the eggs and even movement already in one, I just want to be extra careful to keep it that way.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I was thinking of adding a small cup of rice like you suggested before, I had tried just drying the incubator out (wiping out the extra drops of water in the channels and remove a small 1/2" by 1" sponge under the grate and turner) and getting more air flow into it, but it didn't help much. What would you suggest to be the best humidity? I've got growth in most of the eggs and even movement already in one, I just want to be extra careful to keep it that way.

I prefer 30-35% but 40 is acceptable. Over 45% I'm not comfortable with personally. But I rely on the air cells to keep me on track. I have had to lower my humidity for a day to adjust for air cells, I have never had to raise my humidity to slow down the growth.

 

[Ariel91]

Well I added the rice, put it in an "eggsy" cup so that it could fit in my turner. It's regulated the humidity down to 45%-55% But I can't get it any lower. ugh