Update: just float tested and then had to egg topsy them all, out of 18 eggs only 5 were even alive at day 18.. Others died before lockdown. My question is: two of them had absorbed their yolk already so I wonder if it was the humidity from day 1-18 how could I fell from the egg topsy.. It seems wet inside like fluid like.. But is that normal anyways? I guess I'm just worried it was something I did during incubation.. So for next time it will be better.
You can calibrate the one you bought. It's very simple and will tell you exactly how accurate it is. I give the test 24 hours. Here's the directions:
http://www.stevejenkins.com/blog/20...grometer-humidity-sensor-using-the-salt-test/
There is usually always some fluid when I eggtopsy, depending on when they died. The only time there hasn't been extra fluid is if they were literally about to pip but didn't. If they died a couple days before hatch there wil be some fluid. The problem with having to high humidity is that the air cell does not grow large enough and that gives the chicks more space to grow to large. Then they can't position correctly for hatch and end up drowning. Here's a good article on humidity:
http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity
I'm having issues too. When is a good time to float test them? I'm 2 days beyond the hatch date with no pips.
Have you candled them with an LED flashlight? I find that candling with light can give you a lot more information then water testing but water testing can be good for beginners. When you candle them check to see if the air cell has "drawn down". Draw down happens in viable eggs right before internal pip. The air cell will grow a lot, about doubling in size. It forms around the chick and you can literally see the outline of the chick and easily spot movement.