Author Topic: Temp and humidity control  (Read 9779 times)

Max

  • ABC Members
  • Associate
  • *
  • Posts: 155
    • View Profile
Temp and humidity control
« on: May 07, 2015, 11:16:45 PM »
I would like to share my thoughts on temp and humidity. First, incubation techniques will vary depending on the climate where you live and the type of incubator you are using. Altitude, average humidity, etc. will have an effect on your particular setup. This is based on my local climate here in Texas using a GQF cabinet incubator.

Humidity control - I try to average 45% humidity for the first 18 days. If it drops below 40% or rises above 50% during that time I will make an adjustment. Once they are moved to the hatcher the humidity is raised to 60%. As the chicks begin to hatch, the humidity will rise to 65-70% on its own due to the wet hatching chicks. I have had great success with this method. Very few if any chicks that get stuck in the shell.

I use a digital hygrometer but only after it has been calibrated. To calibrate, pour about 1/4 cup of table salt in a cup and add just enough water to make it like wet sand. Put it in a gallon zip-lock bag along with the hygrometer and seal it up for a couple of hours. The humidity should read 75%. If it doesn't then just add or subtract the difference and write it on the unit. (Ex. If it reads 67% then write +8 on the unit)

Temp control - The most accurate thermometer I have found is a digital thermometer for humans. It can be purchased in the pharmacy at wal-mart. I drilled a small hole in the side of the cabinet about half way up and insert and just leave it there all the time. I only turn it on long enough to check/adjust temp and then turn it off. I try to keep the temp between 99.4 and 99.9 degrees. This thermometer is so sensitive you can adjust by .1 degrees.

Cabinet incubators are not a closed environment. They have air vents that constantly circulate and exchange the air inside the unit. The incubator temp and humidity will change with the room temp and humidity. For every 10 degrees of room temp change the incubator temp will change by 1 degree. The more stable you can keep your room the more stable the incubator will be.

I hope this helps. Feel free to share your opinions and experiences…  ;D
Max Strawn

greeneggsandham

  • ABC Members
  • Colleague
  • *
  • Posts: 277
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2015, 06:54:19 PM »
Brinsea spot check thermometers are the most accurate I have found.  I used many store bought others and they simply were not accurate.  These fit perfectly through the small air holes found on many styrofoam incubators.

http://www.brinsea.com/p-394-spot-check-digital-incubator-thermometer.aspx
Sharon
Hubby rues the day he brought the chicks home...

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #2 on: January 05, 2016, 10:34:32 PM »
Well, I'm very late to this conversation, but I am just beginning to incubate Ameraucanas so I will offer my hatching experience so far. I hatch on a much smaller scale, and work long hours, so I opted for a Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance. I've hatched cuckoo marans, BCM, Easter Eggers, and Polish almost continuously since January of last year. My magic number for humidity during the first 18 days has been 37-42%, and 65%+ at lockdown. I average over a 90% hatch rate, and have had one 100% hatch. The only breed that deviated from those numbers were the BCM, where I had better hatch rates at lower humidity, 30%.
My BCM and Polish were hatchery quality, and I have scrapped both flocks to make room for, and focus on, Paul's Ameraucanas. I'm incubating my first batch now at my normal humidity of 40%. I hope to have results around Jan. 22 :)

Don

  • ABC Members
  • Ameraucana Guru II
  • *
  • Posts: 1189
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #3 on: January 11, 2016, 05:37:57 AM »
Dan,  Sounds like you have a good handle on hatching with those kinds of percentages.  I've heard great things about the Brinsea incubators too.  I think the biggest element for incubating humidity is the overall evaporation.  Some like to start with a drier humidity and them ramp up really high toward the end of the cycle.  But with percentages like these, you should have no problem with the AMs.  Good luck on the hatch.   
Don Cash
Matthew 4:9

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #4 on: January 11, 2016, 09:12:18 AM »
I did a day 9 candle last night. I set 28, had 6 clears, and most had strong veining. A few were questionable, so I will leave them in and do another candle at lockdown. I had gotten where incubation wasn't a big deal to me, but I'm dying to see my first generation of my own AMs  :)

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2016, 12:24:07 PM »
Update on my first hatch. 20 made lockdown, and I hatched 14 of 20. The hens had only been laying for about 4 weeks, and the eggs were still a little small, so I was happy with 70%. All chicks were healthy, no splayed legs or crooked feet, and no after hatch deaths. The hatch did drag out slowly for 2 days. Air cells looked a little small, so when I set again last Sunday I shot for a first 18 day humidity of 35% instead of my regular 40. My new incubator arrived Tuesday, and I set it last night, again at 35%, so I should have 2 groups hatching the week of the 14th. I will update again after those hatches if anyone else is interested

Susan Mouw

  • ABC Lifetime Award
  • Ameraucana Guru II
  • ***
  • Posts: 1736
    • View Profile
    • Sand Castles Farm
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2016, 12:52:49 PM »
Uhm, Dan

I know you're kinda new here and all that, but you must learn the rules.  I'm not sure where this one is posted, but I'm sure I can find it if I must.

The rule is....

If you're going to post about successful hatches, you must post pics of chicks! ;)
Susan Mouw
Sand Castles Farm
http://www.sandcastlesfarm.com

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2016, 10:19:26 PM »
I promise, I tried  ;)
From the iPhone, when I tried to add as attachment it said the file size was too large. I'll see if I can figure it out, because I have more coming around Valentines Day

Don

  • ABC Members
  • Ameraucana Guru II
  • *
  • Posts: 1189
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #8 on: February 02, 2016, 07:28:23 AM »
I have the same problem with pictures Dan.  I think we need to have Susan show us how to re-size pics so we can attach them and put more eye candy on the forum.  Sounds like your hatching is coming along well.  Did you get any Splash by chance out of these hatches?  Get out and enjoy one of the upcoming shows.  Even if you don't show often, you get to see how your birds and those folks around you compare.   Good Luck!  I sent you an email.
Don Cash
Matthew 4:9

Cesar “CJ”

  • ABC Members
  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 98
  • One is just not enough
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #9 on: February 02, 2016, 12:02:55 PM »
I have the same problem with pictures Dan.  I think we need to have Susan show us how to re-size pics so we can attach them and put more eye candy on the forum.  Sounds like your hatching is coming along well.  Did you get any Splash by chance out of these hatches?  Get out and enjoy one of the upcoming shows.  Even if you don't show often, you get to see how your birds and those folks around you compare.   Good Luck!  I sent you an email.

Don

1. Right click on the image and click "properties" it shows how big the image is in (kb) 125kb is max to upload
2. Right click on the image and click "Open with" and click Paint
3. Once open on the top left you will see re-size. Click re-size and either choose to re-size the % or pixels.
(I personally re-size with pixels)
4. Choose how small you want to re-size. Then click "save"!.
5. Check image size by repeating step 1 (if still too big then repeat steps 2 and 3)
6. Once you got the kb size right then upload

-This is the way I learned how to do it without downloading special programs.
-Sometimes shrinking the photo the first time will actually make it larger (dont ask me why lol) just repeat -steps 1 through 3.

Susan if you have an easier way please let us know hahah :)
- I learned cutting the pixels about 60% does the trick.

Don

  • ABC Members
  • Ameraucana Guru II
  • *
  • Posts: 1189
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #10 on: February 02, 2016, 12:40:24 PM »
Thanks Cesar.   It looks relatively easy after you've been thru it.  The pictures have to be really reduced though.

Don't mean to hijack the thread. Maybe we can move Cesar's directions to a general topic for attaching pictures?
Don Cash
Matthew 4:9

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #11 on: February 03, 2016, 03:14:23 PM »
I have the same problem with pictures Dan.  I think we need to have Susan show us how to re-size pics so we can attach them and put more eye candy on the forum.  Sounds like your hatching is coming along well.  Did you get any Splash by chance out of these hatches?  Get out and enjoy one of the upcoming shows.  Even if you don't show often, you get to see how your birds and those folks around you compare.   Good Luck!  I sent you an email.
I got your email Don, thanks. Susan posted a link to an online resizer, I tried it, and it works. I got two splash chicks from the only hen that could produce them, 2 blacks, and 10 blues
I'll get the image resizer and post a few pics

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #12 on: February 03, 2016, 03:18:41 PM »
My wife's hand, BTW  ;)

Dan Pitts

  • Guest
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #13 on: February 03, 2016, 03:19:08 PM »
Splash

Don

  • ABC Members
  • Ameraucana Guru II
  • *
  • Posts: 1189
    • View Profile
Re: Temp and humidity control
« Reply #14 on: February 03, 2016, 10:22:09 PM »
Nice hatch Dan and pictures of the chicks.  Were all of the blue chicks the same shade/color or can you tell some variation?  Max posted some info comparing the chick color to adult color.  You might begin to mark these chicks and see if you have the same results.   These pictures look more clear than the ones you posted of the mature flock for some reason.  Keep up the good hatches and you will have plenty of show stock this year.   

Gordon, I don't know what we are doing wrong, but it appears that Dan is able to have them in the house?
Don Cash
Matthew 4:9