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[ENGEC35]

I added rice to my incubator to lower the humidity (first in a sock, then I just emptied the rice onto the tray along with the eggs as I read the more surface area the better for moisture removal).

Is that ok? I feel like I should dump that out and clean the tray again for the eggs.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Generally, with humidity, there's no rush. Several experienced incubators have pointed out that humidity is more important as an average than as a steady factor, especially during early incubation.

So if you're more than a week from hatching, just take a deep breath, gather up the rice, and let one sock-full sit in there overnight. If that doesn't take out enough, maybe add two socks of it. If it takes out too much, just take out the sock for a bit. Check it again later, and adjust as necessary. You don't need to be in a huge hurry to perfect humidity.

Good luck and welcome to BYC.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

1. Are any eggs set yet?
2. If yes, what day are you on?
3. What was your Humidity level at it highest?

 

[ENGEC35]

There are 7 fertile (and active) eggs set. Day 14. We ran the humidity at 75-90% for the first 12 days by total accident and that’s why we want the lowest possible humidity now. Once we took the water out, the lowest humidity got to was 30%

Right now, the eggs are in the tray surrounded by loose white rice. I haven’t thought through whether the rice makingbcontact with the shell could be dangerous. Should I remove the rice ASAP?

 

[sylviethecochin]

I doubt that rice making contact with the shell is dangerous. Damp rags are dangerous because they suck out the heat, but rice won't do that.

I did read a tip once where it said that to dehydrate goose eggs, you should mist water onto them. Sounds counter-intuitive, but so does the fact that licking your lips dries them out. I'll go research that and get back to you.

EDT: Yep, misting is commonly used for dehydrating goose eggs which apparently do not hatch well in damp climates. It also causes heat loss, but so does a broody leaving a nest to eat, so I wouldn't worry too much about that.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

There are 7 fertile (and active) eggs set. Day 14. We ran the humidity at 75-90% for the first 12 days by total accident and that’s why we want the lowest possible humidity now. Once we took the water out, the lowest humidity got to was 30%

Right now, the eggs are in the tray surrounded by loose white rice. I haven’t thought through whether the rice makingbcontact with the shell could be dangerous. Should I remove the rice ASAP?

I can't answer that..
Buy a Turkey Baster at the dollar store and suck the water out next time. Incubators should come with one. After all, the are only 99 cents at the dollar store. They could just add 99 cents to the bator cost and no one is the wiser.

Have you done a candling yet?
Do you have an aux meter or do you trust the factory meter?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I stuck an aquarium tube in the tip of mine so it fits thru the screen easy. To add or subtract water.