Humidity How high is too high, how low is too low!

[Delmar]

Humidity How high is too high? How low is too low? If you are looking for an average of 40% and it falls too 25% for a while is it ok to bring it up to 55% or 60% for a while until it levels out?

 

[FrizzleFreak]

It depends on how long "a while" is...A day probably wouldn't hurt too bad. Chicks are pretty hardy little things though, and when you think about it broody moms had to be able to brood through whatever weather changes came through.
(I looked at the numbers you had up there again...)
25% is low, but a lot of people I know keep the incubator at 60% throughout the whole incubation, so you should be fine.
Good luck! When are they due to hatch, and what are you hatching?

 

[Delmar]

Quote:
The eggs are
6 EE eggs, 3 RIR and 4 Barred Rocks, and the roo is a RI Red.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=467948&p=4

 

[Delmar]

So I added a small reservoir of water with 2 sponges at the bottom near the heater and a small one next to the eggs and got the humidity up so it will stay between 40% and 50%. I am running out of places to stick more cups of water. Does anybody have any ideas how I can get up to 60% or more for the hatch?

 

[Emilys3guppies]

Put cellulose sponges in the cups. To get higher humidity you need more surface area evaporating water. A 2"x2" sponge, with all it's bubbles and grooves, has lots more surface area than a 2"x2" cup.

Good luck!

 

[andalusn]

I have just set my incubators up for the second go round. Reviewing my paperwork from the manufacturer gives target numbers of incubation RH level for poultry 40-50%. Bumps up to 65% RH for hatching. I do see many people add wet sponges to the incubator when they go into lock down to increase the humidity.

 

[fishman65]

eggs must lose about 10-15% of weight through moisture. I incubate my eggs at 25-30% humidity. I usually have no problems. I raise it to 60-80% on lockdown.

 

[Delmar]

Yup, I have 3 sponges in the cup down below, and one in the one up top. When I go into lock-down I do plan to take the egg cartons out which will give me more room. I'm also thinking about putting some plastic straws between the sponges to hold them apart so that more surface area is exposed.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

Quote:
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[Delmar]

Quote:
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Thanks, but I understood that. The problem I'm having is I'm finding it hard find a way to stay above 60%. I really feel like I need to find the solution before I go into "lock down". Seems to me it's not much of a lock down if you are still fiddling with things.