Dry Hatch? Wet Hatch? Lockdown is tomorrow :O

[thistlewick]

I have the Manna Pro,

Keeping the humidity stable has been a bear, a pain in the royal arse, but it's never gone lower than 22 and never higher than 56 -- when it did climb to 56 that was because of the room more than any water in the bator.

Lockdown is tomorrow -- I've been reading every single solitary opposite thing.

Since it is my first hatch -- (candled today and 2/5 eggs are moving and viable) should I just stick to 60-70% humidity?!

The air sacs look good and development appropriate size. But I don't want them to drown.

I just want to do the best I can since there are only 2 little guys that made it through this process from the five eggs I put in.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

All you can do at this point, if the air cells are the appropriate size for this stage, just up the humidity as much as you can. It just needs to be high when the chicks pip.
The embryo isn't really affected by humidity on any one day or even week. Appropriate humidity is about allowing the correct amount of moisture to evaporate from the eggs by the time pipping happens.

 

[Debbie292d]

I have that incubator. It was my first one, and it's down in the basement now in case I need a backup. You're right! Maintaining humidity is tough with those. For lockdown, I recall pulling both caps off and filling both reservoirs full, keeping the vent at half, and then I could get 65-70-ish.

Don't forget to pull the rack. I did that once, and it wasn't the end of the world, but I felt bad the chicks had to stumble over it all the time.

Wishing you a great hatch!

 

[thistlewick]

I have that incubator. It was my first one, and it's down in the basement now in case I need a backup. You're right! Maintaining humidity is tough with those. For lockdown, I recall pulling both caps off and filling both reservoirs full, keeping the vent at half, and then I could get 65-70-ish.

Don't forget to pull the rack. I did that once, and it wasn't the end of the world, but I felt bad the chicks had to stumble over it all the time.

Wishing you a great hatch!

Which one do you use now?

I just bought this one, but if there is a better one...

 

[thistlewick]

Lockdown starting!

72% humidity and holding. Crossing fingers???!?!?!


edit; lowered it to 68% bc worried about drowning

 

[Barnymommy]

I’ve used this for 2 hatches. The 1st time was easy keeping the humidity steady and it was a 100% hatches rate. 2nd time it’s been hard to keep it below 58% and I have the vent completely open. Second time I had three not hatch and I just put a third group in so we will see…

 

[thistlewick]

It's been wild to keep it steady, and I don't open it. I've candled only 3x

I have lowered the humidity to 62 and holding steady for lockdown, happy to keep it 60-65 %

The eggs have already moved a little from where they were left so that's a good sign I think?? Don't know never done this before. Anyway, very excited and hoping for the best even though I only have 2 eggs and it could be a 0/5 event. (started with only 5)

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Again, it doesn't really have to be steady. It just needs to be high enough at pipping to prevent the chicks from being shrink wrapped.
I think 60% should be sufficient. But a bit higher shouldn't hurt. I think the concept of drowning the hatching chicks should only be a concern if enough moisture hadn't evaporated in the previous 3 weeks.

 

[Debbie292d]

Which one do you use now?

I just bought this one, but if there is a better one...

@ChickenCanoe is right about the humidity as being an average, so don't stress over it. My current incubators only fluctuate +/- 5, so that's nice, but when I used the one you have, MANY times I saw the humidity down to 25% (I think that's its default as our home is usually 40%). I never killed a batch of eggs because of humidity issues.

I have three Brinsea 56EX.

If you get one, be sure it says it comes with automatic humidity. They all say "automatic" because they auto turn, but "fully automatic" means it's got the humidity pump. Once I bought one on Amazon without it. I sent it back and got the correct one.

Brinsea is a BYC sponsor too, but that's not why I went with that one as I studied long and hard before settling on that brand/model.

 

[thistlewick]

@ChickenCanoe is right about the humidity as being an average, so don't stress over it. My current incubators only fluctuate +/- 5, so that's nice, but when I used the one you have, MANY times I saw the humidity down to 25% (I think that's its default as our home is usually 40%). I never killed a batch of eggs because of humidity issues.

I have three Brinsea 56EX.

If you get one, be sure it says it comes with automatic humidity. They all say "automatic" because they auto turn, but "fully automatic" means it's got the humidity pump. Once I bought one on Amazon without it. I sent it back and got the correct one.

Brinsea is a BYC sponsor too, but that's not why I went with that one as I studied long and hard before settling on that brand/model.

Thank you!! I don't mind getting another -- I didn't know when I got the one I did, it was an impulse buy -- thank you so much for your help!!