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Hey Chicka-Dee,

Great to hear to finally got it!

The first batch might be a bit of a test run as you encounter teething problems and figure out how things work.

The humidity will be determined by the surface area of the channels but not the depth. As soon as the water disappears completely however then your humidity will drop.

How fast the channels run out you'll have to just see. Can you see the channels without having to open the incubator?

To increase the humidity on day 18 I add soaked sponges as well as topping up channels but I have never used this incubator.

very exciting for you. Yes the book is correct 55% for the first 18 days then 60-65%.

What humidity did you keep your incubator at during the first 18 days?

And, what did you increase it to after day 18?

Also is it normal for the incubator to go down in humidity over a couple of days?

I started mine at 60% humidity and then had to go away for 3 days and hubby-dee said it sat at about 58% for a couple of days & by the time I got home on Friday it was on 55% (which. Thought perfect, I got it to what the book said)& then yesterday it dropped right down to 52% so I put more water in & it shot back up to 61%.

Is this too much of a variance?

The temperature is staying constant though, which I read is crucial.

I've tried a few different ways Chicka-Dee and I've used small auto turning incubator similar to yours.

The first was 'by the book' and checked the water channels everyday and made sure they were always full (Could refill them without opening the bator). Trying to maintain 60% humidity until day 18 when I would stop turning and raise humidity to 80% by adding sponges. This worked fine and I still had decent hatch rates but hatching took longer and found the chicks struggled a bit during hatching.

The second way and the way I always hatch my eggs now, is to fill the channels, then set it and leave it until day 18. No refilling at all. Then on day 18 fill channels and add sponges to raise the humidity to 80% and maintain that until they start hatching, then open the vents and away you go. Its more of a dry incubation but I personally get better results doing it this way. They hatch faster and seems less stressed. The goal is to reduce the weight of the egg so it has a decent air pocket inside, which increases the chances of hatching properly. Well that's the theory anyway

Just have to do what you are comfortable with. I did it by the book first and then experimented with other methods when I had more confidence in the incubator.

Sry for the long reply

Just adding I live in a pretty humid place already, so this may also be why I have success with dry incubation....

Oh no don't apologise, I like long responses it means they are more comprehensive


Also, did you candle the eggs at all during the process? If so how long can I keep the lid open?

Thanks for your help Dan

Sorry 80% was incorrect The incubators I've used don't have humidity gauges so I borrow a hygrometer to figure it out, I've raised it to 65-70 on day 18 then just kept replacing sponges as they dry out. Leaks has been my main issue, so I raise it higher to maintain the humidity. I'd say yours probably seals way better, so you wont have to raise it as high.



Maybe the manual indicates where they are? It could be just a small hole somewhere to let some fresh air in.



I Candle them at day 10 and day 18. I quickly take 1 out at a time, keeping the lid on while candling the egg. By day 18 you'll see some eggs shaking about so you wont have to candle them all

I did not know they shook I must go down to see Clara & see if any of hers are moving. Hers are due to hatch on Tues or Wed.

Def learning something here Dan, so I deeply appreciate your help with this.

Hey Chicka-Dee,

I think if you left it at 65% you should be ok I had problems maintaining my humidity so unless you have the same problem you should be fine.

Great you found the vents! If they are open then that could certainly be why your humidity is dropping. I had to close mine completely to keep up my humidity but you might just have to play around with them until your getting it stable. Keep them closed until the chicks start hatching and they need some air.

Watching the eggs shake about is very cool Kinda mesmerizing......

Dan

Your help has been very valuable.

I have started a new post for first time incubators like myself in hope that anyone else new can either learn & ask questions.

Your input has been fantastic so please bring you valuable advice to this post as well

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=54043

Cheers
Chicka-Dee