Coming up on lockdown. How to add water without opening? Incubator pic included.

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

We're coming up on lockdown and I am unsure how to add water to our incubator without opening it. It's not a super expensive one and when we tried adding water to the bottom wells (before eggs were added) the humidity skyrocketed to 90%.
Right now we have a spray bottle cap in the top tray (with the eggs) that we refill with a dropper. That lasts about 12 hours and keeps it around 35% humidity.
I'm afraid to have something with water open up by where chicks are hatching (I don't want them to drown or knock it over) but I'm not sure how to fill it or know how much water is still in it if we put it in the bottom. There are "air vents" but they are in the bottom of the incubator so it would be hard to add water without it just going everywhere in the bottom.

Any brilliant tips from experienced hatchers? (And possibly someone who has used this/similar incubators?

My husband is considering drilling a small hole in the black plastic and feeding a tube through that we can add water without opening it.

 

[Nabiki]

It's okay to open the incubator to add water. If you're worried about the humidity dropping too much, you can add something thin with a lot of surface area, such as a piece of paper towel. That will bring the humidity back up quickly but dry out quickly so it doesn't keep adding humidity when your regular source is back in action.

 

[Urbanhomestead_ut]

Can we keep the cup on the same level as the eggs or does it have to be below?

Do I need to block it off so the chicks can't fall in it?

What if chicks are pipping? Can we still open to add water?

 

[Nabiki]

I open mine to take chicks out while others are pipped. I keep a paper towel under the grippy shelf liner so I can add a pipette of water when I open the incubator, grab chicks, then close it.

I recommend putting a jar of water in that is too high for the chicks to get into. Humidity is determined by surface area, not the amount of water. You can see here how mine is set up at lockdown. The jar in back is full of water. The paper towel is under the lower right corner, and I try not to keep any eggs on it.

 

[Ratchnick]

The jar of water does not need to be on the same level as the eggs.

 

[muddy75]

you can also add humidity by putting in wet pieces of sponge at lockdown. i couldn’t see your ventilation hole but that’s how i add water throughout incubation and especially at lockdown to minimize opening of the incubator.

 

[Quailobsessed]

I wouldn't stress about opening the incubator to add water. Mother hens have to get up off their nests to eat, drink, poop, stretch, dust bathe, and their chicks hatch fine.

 

[Malikshahzad]

I open mine to take chicks out while others are pipped. I keep a paper towel under the grippy shelf liner so I can add a pipette of water when I open the incubator, grab chicks, then close it.

I recommend putting a jar of water in that is too high for the chicks to get into. Humidity is determined by surface area, not the amount of water. You can see here how mine is set up at lockdown. The jar in back is full of water. The paper towel is under the lower right corner, and I try not to keep any eggs on it.
View attachment 2557800

R ur paper towel wet under the eggs ?

 

[Nabiki]

R ur paper towel wet under the eggs ?

No. That would chill the eggs.

 

[Malikshahzad]

I wouldn't stress about opening the incubator to add water. Mother hens have to get up off their nests to eat, drink, poop, stretch, dust bathe, and their chicks hatch fine.

No hen not leave the eggs during last 3 days I think