Marans chicken eggs, for example, need about 10% lower humidity because the shells aren’t as porous as others. Humidity: The average range expected for a species however, there can be variation between breeds and even strains within a breed.Other factors are the temperature of incubation, the length and temperature of hatching egg storage and the season (there are more nutrients in spring eggs which promote faster growth). Incubation period: In general, larger eggs have a longer incubation period, although eggs of the same species can also develop at different rates because of genetic differences between strains.It is best to make final adjustments to humidity when your incubator is full of eggs since they will be losing moisture and contributing to the relative humidity. These will often have a reservoir and a pump that pumps water into the incubator to evaporate. On higher priced incubators, you can get automatic humidity control. Since the humidity varies with the weather, you may need to make adjustments from day-to-day. In some incubators, you can control the humidity further by adjusting ventilation controls. Most manual humidity incubators have a tray or container that needs filling and an additional area for the extra humidity required during the hatch. Again, follow the incubator manufacturer’s guide. Water will often need to be added to the reservoir to provide sufficient humidity. If you don’t have these, then set the vents half-way. If the ventilation is adjustable, set it according to the recommendation in the instructions. When you are ready to incubate some eggs, power-up your incubator and allow it to run for several hours, all incubators need time to heat up and settle. Vibrations from fans within the incubator or other equipment nearby can cause problems with embryo development, so locate your incubator on a solid surface. A typical operating humidity for incubators is between 40 and 70% relative humidity. If so, you can increase the humidity by having trays of water in the room, provided there is not too much ventilation to change the air. Central heating or air conditioning can dry the air, or you may live in an arid region of the world. The air in the room shouldn’t be too dry. Some garden sheds can easily swing between 5 and 25☌ in 24 hours, which is not suitable for most incubators. You can use a cheap electronic temperature meter that records maximum and minimum temperatures to check your incubator location. Do not put your incubator near a radiator or window where the sun can shine in and avoid drafty areas or where there is air conditioning blowing.įluctuations in temperature are the most common cause of problems. Incubators are not particularly well insulated, so avoid fluctuations in operating temperature. Most incubators suggest room temperature between 18 and 22☌, although some are quite specific and will not perform well outside of this range, especially in colder climates. Locate your incubator in a room or insulated building outside where the temperature is reasonably constant. The best solution I have found is to use an electronic thermometer/hygrometer with an external sensor, or wireless Switchbot wireless sensor, taking measurements at the same height as the eggs’ centre. Measuring humidity is also a challenge in still-air incubators because it is relative to the temperature, so your wet and dry bulb readings (or another hygrometer) must be sitting at the same height as the embryos.įinally, another problem is the stratification changes the moment you remove the lid, and you’ll end up taking incorrect readings! The height of the thermometer can be adjusted and read through the window at the top. My ‘ Brinsea Hatchmaker‘ incubator recommends 39.2° at the TOP of the eggs for hens eggs – this should be the correct incubation temperature (in this case, 37.5°) at the centre of the egg. We need to be careful where we take readings of temperature and humidity. Still-air incubators provide the correct incubation temperature where the embryo sits (the centre of the egg). Sometimes you will notice this happening in buildings with high ceilings, and you may also see heating systems blow hot air out of vents downwards into a room to overcome this stratification. The science behind this is that cooler, denser air sinks, and warmer, thinner air rises, creating this gradient of air temperatures. In other words, there are layers of air with a temperature gradient between the heater element and the base of the incubator. Still-air incubators have a heating element at the top, and thermal stratification occurs inside the incubator.
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