Humidity

[vankarhi]

Why do we need to keep the brooder with water in them?? I know it is for the humidity....but why do the baby birds need the humidity???

I know it sounds stupid ..... I am guessing it helps to stop the naked skin from drying out???

[Jane]

I guess so they don't dehydrate, even when feathered Because the heating will always dry the air.
I'm sure someone will have a more technical answer

[vankarhi]

I thought the fluid in their food was enough to stop dehydration??

[pinkdevil]

I found this...... "The humidity level is another key factor in your brooder. I use a humidity level of 45 to 55 %. When the level of humidity is too low your babies will appear dehydrated and have dry looking skin that may even flake. If you keep the brooder humidity too high, you run the risk of developing bacteria or even a fungus that then can end up in the lungs of your babies.
You MUST always remember to keep a good eye on the humidity rate and the temperature for your babies to remain healthy. ".......don't know if it helps or not.

[vankarhi]

so how do I check the humidity levels then? Not more gadgets on the brooder??

[pinkdevil]

lol yeah, I have a .......hmmmm....dunno what it's called and can't ask Shane he is singing tonight at a gig....lol.....uuummmm....hygrometer thermometer humidity tester thingy<<-----well thats its official name anyway lol

Will ask Shane when he gets home tomorrow.

[vankarhi]

oh ok Tash........I speak your language and understood you very well ;D I really did. lol

[vankarhi]

so what do you do to change the humidity?? Change the temp??? I noticed Erik does look a little peely......but then apparently ekkies do peel ....... but I thought that was in the first week and I did not notice Erik peeling until now. But he is also getting quite a few feathers now too.

[pinkdevil]

I use a large dish of water and put it closer to the heat if I need more humidity...not sure if that is the "correct" way or not.

[Jane]

I bought a Max-min Thermometer at Dick Smith that also reads the humidity. I use a screw top jar with holes punched in the lid so if the chicks wander out of their tubs they can't drown

[pinkdevil]

The smaller brooder I have has a shelf with little slits in it and I put the water container under the shelf.
You idea of a screw top jar is a good one Jane, can never be too careful when it comes to these little runaway critters lol

[vankarhi]

Yes I like the screw top jar idea too. At the moment I have a glass and am always terrfied he is going to get to it. I have put a rolled up towel into a shape of a circle and I put a clean washer and tissue in the middle for Erik so he can't just wander around yet. He can move around but not out of the circle at the moment anyway.

[farseeker]

I keep thinking barometer but I know that's for atmospheric pressure or something. Ahhhhhhh, now it's going to drive me nuts!

[pinkdevil]

lol ok farseeker, will put you out of your misery lol

I did find this.....

The hygrometer is a device for measuring the relative humidity of air.

Feel better now? lol

[farseeker]

Much better! I can remember Grandpa used to have this old gauge he used that had a thermometer, barometer and one for humidity...which was of course the one I could never remember the name of haha!