Eggs on day 17 and I'm FrEaKiNg OUT!

[ChickenCanoe]

Almost no water is about the same as having water. It isn't the volume of water but the surface area of water. 1/16th of an inch or 1/2 inch of water will put the same amount of humidity in the air if the surface area is the same.

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

Wow I didn’t know that! No wonder it didn’t change much

 

[ChickenCanoe]

When you want to bring relentless humidity down, it has to dry out completely.
When people have trouble getting humidity up with all the troughs filled, they add sponges to increase surface area.
A tall glass of water will evaporate the same amount as a jar lid of water the same diameter.

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

It’s been high this whole time so you suggest removing all water now for lockdown tomorrow- is that right?

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

It’s currently at 82

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It’s been high this whole time so you suggest removing all water now for lockdown tomorrow- is that right?

That depends on the air cells. If they are small, then yes, make it completely dry.
If you're unsure, let it dry out and add water on day 20.
IMHO, lockdown day is an imagined number. It is suggested to be on day 18 for the uninitiated in case the eggs hatch early. The only thing you really have to do is stop turning. Then make sure to up the humidity before pipping starts.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Normally I only candle once or twice because I usually weigh eggs the day I set them and then on weekly intervals to insure they are losing the correct amount of weight. I hadn't used a hygrometer for the last few years. I just bought one for the last hatch and I put it in the hatcher. I need to get a couple more for the incubators.

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

I did not weigh them - here is air from last week to today

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You should find candling examples on the first page of the following link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-sunshine-hosts-bantychooks-and-more.1137467/

I can't really see an air cell in the first picture and the second one doesn't look quite big enough for day 17. More experienced candlers may have a different point of view.
Some crazy people candle daily.

 

[LuckyCluckyCA]

I didn’t do that. I thought I hard boiled them and was so upset but it ended up being a crappy flashlight- lol. Ty for teaching me about humidity- we are across the street from the port of la so lots of surface water around