Humidity in Nurture Right 360

[Princess Clucks-a-lot]

I am so excited! When I came in this morning 13 of the 18 eggs had hatched and most of the rest have pipped! My students were so excited to see them!

Edit: 3 left! 1 has pipped and 2 have done nothing. I am hopeful that they will hatch tonight! The other 15 are doing great in the brooder! I have Black/white and buff Polish crested, Bantams, Wyandotte's, and Speckled Sussex.

 

[SSH]

I have had a problem the whole time with my 360, the humidity dropping to the low 30's at nights. Once I did get to observe the drop and noticed that it happens quickly. It started doing it again the night of day 18 so now I have a little piece of wet sponge in the incubator which seems to help it hold longer last night, night 19. But I'm curious. Why do we increase the humidity anyway? It's not like a broody hen suddenly gets more humid for 3 days!

 

[SSH]

I have had a problem the whole time with my 360, the humidity dropping to the low 30's at nights. Once I did get to observe the drop and noticed that it happens quickly. It started doing it again the night of day 18 so now I have a little piece of wet sponge in the incubator which seems to help it hold longer last night, night 19. But I'm curious. Why do we increase the humidity anyway? It's not like a broody hen suddenly gets more humid for 3 days!

Update -- I only got a 50% hatch rate. Will try filling the "A" cup more and opening the vent more at nights in the future - and if that doesn't work will use the wet sponge again. I think if I do it earlier to avoid 2 wks of large humidity fluctuations, I may get more chicks to make it.