Humidity control for pre-incubation egg storage

[Digby57]

I am keeping my hatching eggs at 60* in a wine fridge in paper type egg cartons. Is there any reason I shouldn't use these 2-way humidity control packages during storage? I use them in my cigar humidor, they have no smell. I won't be using the same ones for cigars and eggs Just wondering if anyone feels strongly that I shouldn't use them.

I didn't use anything last time and had missed that I should even be concerned about humidity at that stage, only reading that I should on day 7 of a 9 day storage. I tried to use a lid with some water, but it didn't do anything and it was tight in there trying to tilt the cartons and not spill the water.

https://bovedainc.com/store/shop-rh/

 

[paneubert]

7 days in a fridge in paper cartons without controlling humidity is a little risky if you ask me. The fridge is going to suck some moisture out for sure, and so will the cartons. So I say go for it if you have the ability to control it to an appropriate level. Will the fridge allow it? We will see. There is a chance the fridge is good enough at chilling and evaporating that the 2-way humidity control packages will not last as long as expected.

Point of reference, although extreme. I have quail eggs that I have left in the fridge for a few months and by this point they are SUPER light. Tons of evaporation. I have some that I saved for even longer due to them being super big, super small, super white, or super dark, and those actually have completely desiccated and a few of the shells started to disintegrate just from being stored on the inside door/shelf of my fridge. I assume the small vibrations and shock from opening and closing the door eventually broke them. So a fridge can and will completely dry out and destroy eggs. Not in 7 days, but it does happen.

 

[Digby57]

I measured the humidity at about 40-45% when I found out that I needed to watch that. When I added the water I found that I could get it up over 45% but it never reached 50%. I bought the 84% version of these larger packets, hoping they would get me up around 70% at least. I am testing them today. I got a 4 pack for $16 so I figured it was worth a shot as long as they aren't releasing something that may be absorbed through the shell.

As far as the paper cartons, I only chose those because the way they are constructed fits my eggs better. The eggs are medium size or a bit bigger. Maybe I should be using styrofoam?

 

[Digby57]

Well, it looks to be holding it at 60% - which is better than 40%. I don;t know how long it will last, but they last months in my humidor. I'm going to collect my first eggs for this hatch (my second hatch) this morning, so I'll be interested to see if this improves my rate.