Incubating 2020

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KimChick
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Incubating 2020

Post by KimChick » Sun May 17, 2020 12:42 pm

Tomorrow is lockdown. This is getting exciting!
Last night, I candled again and there was one "?" egg, darn it all. I hope it's just hiding or sleeping at one end, and it wasn't questionable with the first candling.
Also, I'm not sure what kind of chickens we'll get because our breeding for BSL's was bass ackwards. We bred a barred rock rooster with RIR's and it's supposed to be the other way around. Oh well, we work with what we have!
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by JimW » Sun May 17, 2020 11:03 pm

Best of luck with the hatch. With the cross you did with the barred rock rooster all the chicks should be barred.
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KimChick
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by KimChick » Mon May 18, 2020 10:25 am

JimW wrote:
Sun May 17, 2020 11:03 pm
Best of luck with the hatch. With the cross you did with the barred rock rooster all the chicks should be barred.
Thanks, Jim! Would the male chicks have have a white dot on their heads?
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by KimChick » Mon May 18, 2020 10:32 am

Incubator is in lock down, but humidity is the question. The last 2 yrs., I did not make note of any big discrepancy between the digital readout and analog hygrometer at egg level. This year there is a 3-5 % discrepancy, even during the first 17 days. Should I be worried? Is it because it is a cool Spring?
Or hatching %age will tell.
And with H at 62% analog readout at egg level, there is condensation near the vent hole.
All this leaves me a bit anxious because I don't remember this happening in the past.
Any input would be welcome.
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kenya
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by kenya » Mon May 18, 2020 3:25 pm

I think 62%is too high, condensation on the inside of your incubator clearly shows this. I'm not familiar with your incubator but somehow you need to reduce the humidity. Condensation on the inside of the incubator means you could get condensation on the inside of the eggs causing the chicks to drown.
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by Jaye » Mon May 18, 2020 3:59 pm

I agree with @kenya - I'm no expert, but condensation on the windows/at the vent holes says way too much moisture in the air to me. I stopped believing in what the incubator humidity reading was after I calibrated two analog hygrometers and found out that their readings bore absolutely no resemblance to what the incubator was telling me. I totally ignore what the incubator has to say on humidity now, and pay attention to the auxiliary hygrometers readings right at egg level.
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KimChick
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by KimChick » Mon May 18, 2020 5:56 pm

Thanks for responding to my post!
Right now, at 5:50 pm, the incubator says 53% and the analog hygrometer at egg level says 60-61%. I had left an opening in the vent and there is less condensation than a few hours ago.
I have a HovaBator 1588.
I'm also thinking that the room is 65-67 F which may be cooler than the last 2 yrs. I have used this incubator.
Oh boy.... I will keep monitoring it and see how it goes.
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by Kbr42 » Wed May 20, 2020 7:04 am

How is it going @KimChick ? You must be close to hatching, were you able to get the humidity under control?
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by KimChick » Wed May 20, 2020 12:22 pm

Yes, I believe the humidity is under control, as much as it can be. The condensation is mostly gone and was between the windows but still, there was condensation.
The analog hygrometer is holding steady at around 62% with the vent open or half open; the room temp has increased from 65 to 68 on this warm day. I add bits of water now and then throughout the day. Keeping the vent open a bit has helped keep the condensation away.
But I tell ya, it's exciting to see the eggs jiggle!!!
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Re: Incubating 2020

Post by JimW » Wed May 20, 2020 10:45 pm

Best of luck with the hatch, glad you seemed to have gotten the humidity under control.

I do not believe the male chicks will have a white dot on their head, I do no think you will be able to tell the boys from the girls as chicks. I could be wrong though.
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Keeping poultry with my 2 daughters since 2014.
Ayam cemani, BC Marans, Legbars (Gold Crele, Opal and White), Mosaics, Hmongs and Cuckoo Malines
Black & Blue Poultry
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