Incubator humidity by GQF

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Ontario Chick » Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:48 am

windwalkingwolf wrote:QR_BBPOST
For me personally, it has helped somewhat to be an obsessive candler, even though some eggs like 106's (most of my Giants are numbered but not named) are dark speckled and hard to see through--the line of the air cell should be just above halfway down the egg, with bumps (chick's side on the 'full side of the egg and beak shadow on the 'empty' side of the egg) at or near hatch day. The chick SHOULD be stuffed in the pointy end of the egg. You should candle the egg and think, "holy crap, how does a full term chick fit in there?" They get out faster and healthier. At least in my experience.
:)
I have actually used exactly the same technical term, looking at an egg 1/3 air cell and 2/3 chick, very good description of good looking egg ready for lockdown Jan
I have a "First" here, the incubator is set for the 99.8 F it shows on the readout 99.8 and the Spot check thermometer reads 99.8 F
The house temperature is 75 F , that doesn't happen very often when the incubator is going.
The humidity has been hell on wheels with letting it go down to 36% and then adding water with an eye dropper.
I may as well be sitting on those eggs, may be less work. ;)
2

User avatar
Killerbunny
Poultry Guru - total zen level
Posts: 7869
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:04 pm
Answers: 4
Location: Brockville
x 10155

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Killerbunny » Mon Jun 20, 2016 11:43 am

BTW how do you candle blue eggs. I have a lot of trouble seeing through them.
0
:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

User avatar
Ontario Chick
Poultry Guru
Posts: 5397
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 10:12 am
Answers: 2
Location: Carp - West Ottawa
x 9618

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Ontario Chick » Mon Jun 20, 2016 12:26 pm

I personally don't worry too much, because the fertility is so good on the Ameraucanas and frankly I can't see a thing, just check the size of the air cell.
But I do check the fertility of the eggs before I set them, eat lots of scrambled eggs ;)
1

User avatar
Shnookie
Free Ranging
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:27 pm
Location: Regina
x 1346

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Shnookie » Mon Jun 20, 2016 10:20 pm

I use a hand-held candler when I only want to check for air cell size. I have a Brinsea OvaView High Intensity candler that shows quite a bit through the blue eggs (even feathers on the chicks when they are bigger), but the brown eggs are harder to see through with both candlers.

I bought a new Hovabator Genesis this year. It came with instructions for calibrating the temperature and humidity on the Control Center. The instructions also work with my 2013 Hovabator. Mine was hotter by 1 1/2 degrees than my Spot Check thermometer. It helps to be able to set it. I don't have anything accurate for the humidity, so I left it the way it was. The water tray on the new one is different. It has more compartments. The instruction sheet is mostly the same as the one I got in 2013.
0

User avatar
Shnookie
Free Ranging
Posts: 996
Joined: Tue Dec 15, 2015 8:27 pm
Location: Regina
x 1346

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Shnookie » Wed Aug 10, 2016 10:45 pm

kenya wrote:QR_BBPOST I start with the humidity around 35-45 and keep that all hatch, no changing the humidity at the end. Of course when they start to hatch humidity naturally goes up.
Kenya, do you keep the same temperature for the hatch too? What temperature do you use?
0

User avatar
windwalkingwolf
Poultry Guru - pullet level
Posts: 3567
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 1:31 pm
Answers: 3
Location: Frankville, Ontario
x 4899

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by windwalkingwolf » Thu Aug 11, 2016 1:37 am

Killerbunny wrote:QR_BBPOST BTW how do you candle blue eggs. I have a lot of trouble seeing through them.
In a dark room, with a high lumen (CP) flashlight candler LOL, blue eggs are much easier than dark green or dark brown. In terms of opacity, it goes white, tinted, beige, light brown (no speckles) , blue, light green, medium brown (no speckles), medium green, medium dark brown (no speckles), any of the above with speckles, then olive and dark brown. If you can't see into a blue egg, either the shell is too thick or spotty/irregular calcification, and/or your light is too dim. Get a flashlight that comes with rechargeable 14500 or 18650 batteries instead of AA--14500 don't last long (just long enough to candle a Little Giant full of eggs lol) but they are loads more powerful. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/2000LM-Q5-Focus- ... Swu4BVrz4j is what I use, and it shines easily through all but darkest olive or chocolate eggs. They exaggerate the lumen output, but it's a damn bright flashlight/candler. But you still need either an extension on the end, or learn to cup your hand around for best viewing, otherwise you'll blind yourself and won't be able to see into the next egg lol
0

User avatar
Killerbunny
Poultry Guru - total zen level
Posts: 7869
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2015 12:04 pm
Answers: 4
Location: Brockville
x 10155

Incubator humidity by GQF

Post by Killerbunny » Thu Aug 11, 2016 6:15 am

Thx!
0
:iheartpto:
Beltsville Small White turkeys.
Mutt chickens for eggs
RIP Stephen the BSW Tom and my coffee companion.
RIP Lucky the Very Brave Splash Wyandotte rooster.
RIP little Muppet the rescue cat.
:turkey:

:bat:

Post Reply

Return to “Incubating and Hatching”