HELP!!!! Humidity all wrong!!!

[vivaciouswoman]

Okay, here's what I've been doing the past 24 hours. I ran to Michael's (craft store) and bought a 5-pound bag of silica gel granules. (50% off coupon helps!) I drained as much of the water out of the incubator as I could without totally upsetting the eggs. But I still had some in there, and I couldn't get my RH below 70. That's when having a 5 and 7 year-old came in REALLY handy...

Orbeez! They're little superabsorbent polymer balls that start out about the size of a large pin head. I tossed them into the bottom of the incubator, and THEY FOUND WATER! And they soaked it all up! So, yes, I do have some small slightly damp Orbeez in there, but they release their humidity into the incubator MUCH more slowly than the fetid water I had in there before that I couldn't quite get rid of. Now I've got my RH down below 50!

Now back to the silica gel granules: I've got a shallow bowl, and every few hours (whenever I can), I open 'er up, fan some fresh air conditioned air into the incubator, and refresh my little dish of granules. They have color change indicators in them, so when those occasional little blue dots turn pink, I know they've done their job and it's time to put some fresh granules in. I use probably about 1/4 to 1/3 cup at a time, and I've stirred the granules a couple of times and completely changed them out three times in 24 hours. This keeps me between 35 and 40 RH pretty much. I won't make it all the way through the 5 pound bag by any means, but I'm glad I got more than 1 pound!

My air cells are growing. I don't know if it's going to be fast enough, but it's all I can do. Fingers crossed!!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Keep us updated & amazing discovery (silica gel granules & polymer balls) wouldn't have thought of it

 

[WVduckchick]

Okay, here's what I've been doing the past 24 hours. I ran to Michael's (craft store) and bought a 5-pound bag of silica gel granules. (50% off coupon helps!) I drained as much of the water out of the incubator as I could without totally upsetting the eggs. But I still had some in there, and I couldn't get my RH below 70. That's when having a 5 and 7 year-old came in REALLY handy...

Orbeez! They're little superabsorbent polymer balls that start out about the size of a large pin head. I tossed them into the bottom of the incubator, and THEY FOUND WATER! And they soaked it all up! So, yes, I do have some small slightly damp Orbeez in there, but they release their humidity into the incubator MUCH more slowly than the fetid water I had in there before that I couldn't quite get rid of. Now I've got my RH down below 50!

Now back to the silica gel granules: I've got a shallow bowl, and every few hours (whenever I can), I open 'er up, fan some fresh air conditioned air into the incubator, and refresh my little dish of granules. They have color change indicators in them, so when those occasional little blue dots turn pink, I know they've done their job and it's time to put some fresh granules in. I use probably about 1/4 to 1/3 cup at a time, and I've stirred the granules a couple of times and completely changed them out three times in 24 hours. This keeps me between 35 and 40 RH pretty much. I won't make it all the way through the 5 pound bag by any means, but I'm glad I got more than 1 pound!

My air cells are growing. I don't know if it's going to be fast enough, but it's all I can do. Fingers crossed!!!

I would bet now that you've gotten it dried out, the humidity will stay low enough without the granules.

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Update: Today is Day 17. It's supposed to be time to think about lockdown, but I'm waiting two more full days and HOPING for a late hatch. Luckily, my temp has consistently been a little on the low side, so that should help. The air cells are still waaaaaay too small. I finally have ALL water out. I have desiccant in the bottom in the middle of the tray and higher up in a shallow bowl. Rain, rain, rain here isn't helping, but I'm keeping my air conditioning on and hoping the ambient humidity doesn't work against me. My RH is steady 27-35 , annnnnnnnd, they're not ready.

In other news, one of my broodies just hatched HALF a chick. Yeah, I found one half on one side of her and the other on the other side. I didn't know she was that far along. I went out and candled the eggs in the nesting boxes, and my broodies' air cells are nice and healthy. Not so much the ones in the incubator, and those are where the genetics are.

Good thing I went out to the coop and candled. I brought in about 2 dozen: quitters, unfertilized, and DANGER eggs. One of the danger eggs exploded when it hit the sink. OH. MY. GOODNESS. The stench!!!

*sob*

 

[WVduckchick]

Update: Today is Day 17. It's supposed to be time to think about lockdown, but I'm waiting two more full days and HOPING for a late hatch. Luckily, my temp has consistently been a little on the low side, so that should help. The air cells are still waaaaaay too small. I finally have ALL water out. I have desiccant in the bottom in the middle of the tray and higher up in a shallow bowl. Rain, rain, rain here isn't helping, but I'm keeping my air conditioning on and hoping the ambient humidity doesn't work against me. My RH is steady 27-35 , annnnnnnnd, they're not ready.

In other news, one of my broodies just hatched HALF a chick. Yeah, I found one half on one side of her and the other on the other side. I didn't know she was that far along. I went out and candled the eggs in the nesting boxes, and my broodies' air cells are nice and healthy. Not so much the ones in the incubator, and those are where the genetics are.

Good thing I went out to the coop and candled. I brought in about 2 dozen: quitters, unfertilized, and DANGER eggs. One of the danger eggs exploded when it hit the sink. OH. MY. GOODNESS. The stench!!!

*sob*

Ewww bummer about the stinkbomb. And did the momma kill the chick?
As far as the incubator eggs, if you monitor them closely like some folks do, you can actually wait for a pip before adding any water. If you have a quick, easy way to add it, and catch the pip quickly. Just a thought..

Have you drawn the air cells or taken any candling pics? I'm curious just how small they are.

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Ewww bummer about the stinkbomb. And did the momma kill the chick?
As far as the incubator eggs, if you monitor them closely like some folks do, you can actually wait for a pip before adding any water. If you have a quick, easy way to add it, and catch the pip quickly. Just a thought..

Have you drawn the air cells or taken any candling pics? I'm curious just how small they are.

The air cell in these pics looks a little bigger than it does live. But clearly not ready for prime time!

 

[vivaciouswoman]

Ewww bummer about the stinkbomb. And did the momma kill the chick?
As far as the incubator eggs, if you monitor them closely like some folks do, you can actually wait for a pip before adding any water. If you have a quick, easy way to add it, and catch the pip quickly. Just a thought..

Have you drawn the air cells or taken any candling pics? I'm curious just how small they are.

And I'm thinking she did kill it. How else would it have at least one leg still in the egg?? I didn't look too closely. Should I not trust her, or do you think she made a decision about the fitness of that baby?

 

[vivaciouswoman]

And I'm thinking she did kill it. How else would it have at least one leg still in the egg?? I didn't look too closely. Should I not trust her, or do you think she made a decision about the fitness of that baby?

I have at least 5 hens sitting right now. One just started sitting yesterday on a nest of about 18 eggs. A little ambitious?? At least one other hen found her nest under the nursery coop and added a few of her own, so it's a little out of control, I think!

 

[vivaciouswoman]

And my RH is consistently 25-32 now. It's as low as it's going to get here in Michigan, even with the help of air exchange and desiccants.

 

[WVduckchick]

And I'm thinking she did kill it. How else would it have at least one leg still in the egg?? I didn't look too closely. Should I not trust her, or do you think she made a decision about the fitness of that baby?

Could be the condition, or she may be a horrible momma. It's a toss up, so its up to you whether to give her another chance. I have had a couple hens kill chicks, only to go on to be wonderful mothers. But it's risky, so the risk is up to you.

Just the other day, I found a freshly hatched chick on its side, I thought dead. Grabbed it up, kept it inside overnight and the next day. Took it back to the group of broodies and it's fine now. It's eyes looked a little pecked at first and it wasn't able to get its butt up on top of its legs, but after 24 hours, it's fine.

I have at least 5 hens sitting right now. One just started sitting yesterday on a nest of about 18 eggs. A little ambitious?? At least one other hen found her nest under the nursery coop and added a few of her own, so it's a little out of control, I think!

The main problem with too many eggs is not being able to cover them all completely, and turn them sufficiently. But depending on the way she built her nest, I guess anything is possible! Lol
And how's the fertility? Might you lose a few if you can candle in a few days?