Diagnose my heartbreaking incubation/hatching problem(s)

[Bluegenes]

So how can I tell if it is sticky chicks from too much humidity versus shrink wrapped chicks who dried down too much from too little humidity? I had to help the chicks out, which sounds like shrink-wrapped. But they were sticky, at least sticky in the way that mostly dry glue is sticky (and on the arts exposed to air it was like they had dry glue on them)... If it is too much humidity, would the cause such a large percentage to just die sometime between day 18-22?

 

[Bluegenes]

Right now I am trying to keep the humidity lower, like 20/25% since it seems to be a more likely the humidity was too high than too low. I am doing that by keeping one of the vent holes open and a small amount of water in the well. I think I may get some sponges and see if I can get a more precise humidity by keeping a small piece of wet sponge in there. I can just keep cutting pieces off (or adding more) until I hit the humidity I want. The wells just seem too hard to control.

 

[Molpet]

Right now I am trying to keep the humidity lower, like 20/25% since it seems to be a more likely the humidity was too high than too low. I am doing that by keeping one of the vent holes open and a small amount of water in the well. I think I may get some sponges and see if I can get a more precise humidity by keeping a small piece of wet sponge in there. I can just keep cutting pieces off (or adding more) until I hit the humidity I want. The wells just seem too hard to control.

if the vent holes are closed they don't get enough air exchange... are the vents open at lock down? that could be part of the issue

 

[Bluegenes]

I opened them occasionally if the humidity seemed too high, but the directions say to keep them closed unless you are above 6000 feet in elevation, so mostly they were closed. I kept them closed during lockdown to keep the humidity high. (The directions say can open one after hatch if the chicks are not drying, but otherwise to keep it closed.)

 

[aart]

Have you tested your thermometers and hygrometers?:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

So how can I tell if it is sticky chicks from too much humidity versus shrink wrapped chicks who dried down too much from too little humidity? I had to help the chicks out, which sounds like shrink-wrapped. But they were sticky, at least sticky in the way that mostly dry glue is sticky (and on the arts exposed to air it was like they had dry glue on them)... If it is too much humidity, would the cause such a large percentage to just die sometime between day 18-22?

I think either too low or too high humidity could contribute to late-incubation deaths, among other factors. Here's a thread that may be helpful:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/shrink-wrap-vs-sticky-chick.491421/. In it, @LarryPQ says "shrinkwrapping is too little humdity throughout the hatch. Sticky/concrete chicks are the result of humidty drops once hatching has begun."

 

[Molpet]

I opened them occasionally if the humidity seemed too high, but the directions say to keep them closed unless you are above 6000 feet in elevation, so mostly they were closed. I kept them closed during lockdown to keep the humidity high. (The directions say can open one after hatch if the chicks are not drying, but otherwise to keep it closed.)

from: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubating-and-hatching-chicken-eggs.64195/