Humidity Issue!?!

[BackyardAnimalsDucks]

so i just put my chicken eggs in today. I put less than the recommended amount of water (1/4. it needs to be 1/2) and my separate hydrometer is reading 80%. How do i fix this? It is a electric digital hydrometer.

 

[getaclue]

The larger the area, the higher the humidity. Remove some water, and/or confine it to a smaller area.

 

[getaclue]

Some people use lids, or cups, or small containers with wet sponges to better control humidity.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Has the hydrometer been calibrated?

 

[BackyardAnimalsDucks]

ok. How badly can high humidity effect it this early on?

 

[LynnaePB]

ok. How badly can high humidity effect it this early on?

I doubt having the humidity at 80% for just one day at the beginning of incubation will negatively impact your eggs. If you haven't calibrated your hygrometer I'd make that top priority, as well as making sure you have an accurate/tested thermometer.

Tracking air cell progress (or weighing though I haven't ever weighed myself) is probably the best way to find out what level of humidity is best for your area/incubator. Many incubators recommend a humidity that is too high and will make it so a lot of babies die right before hatching. I'm in humid TN and find 25-35% humidity during the first 18 days of incubation has worked well for me. I'd recommend starting out around 30-40% and then checking air cells through candling on day 7 to see if they are on target and adjust the humidity up or down as needed. A little on the large side has a lot better chance at hatching than a little on the small side in my experience.

Here's a diagram off the internet that shows optimal air cell growth.

Sorry if any of that info was a bit much/you already know optimal humidity for your area/incubator. I wish you luck with your hatch!

 

[BackyardAnimalsDucks]

The lowest hu

I doubt having the humidity at 80% for just one day at the beginning of incubation will negatively impact your eggs. If you haven't calibrated your hygrometer I'd make that top priority, as well as making sure you have an accurate/tested thermometer.

Tracking air cell progress (or weighing though I haven't ever weighed myself) is probably the best way to find out what level of humidity is best for your area/incubator. Many incubators recommend a humidity that is too high and will make it so a lot of babies die right before hatching. I'm in humid TN and find 25-35% humidity during the first 18 days of incubation has worked well for me. I'd recommend starting out around 30-40% and then checking air cells through candling on day 7 to see if they are on target and adjust the humidity up or down as needed. A little on the large side has a lot better chance at hatching than a little on the small side in my experience.

Here's a diagram off the internet that shows optimal air cell growth.

Sorry if any of that info was a bit much/you already know optimal humidity for your area/incubator. I wish you luck with your hatch!

the lowest humidity it gets in NC is 60% so i’m going to let the humidity drop for the first seven days like you said. I swear incubating is very stressful but i’m doing it for a friend. Also are dry incubations good?

 

[Mvan42]

If you put them in today they will be fine. Just get it under control asasp. remove some water. Calibrate and the eggs should be just fine.

 

[LynnaePB]

The lowest hu
the lowest humidity it gets in NC is 60% so i’m going to let the humidity drop for the first seven days like you said. I swear incubating is very stressful but i’m doing it for a friend. Also are dry incubations good?

To hit my target humidity I often have to run dry for the first 18 days and have had very good results with dry incubation personally. Seeing that you are in an area with fairly high humidity I would think dry incubation would be a valid option to try if you wanted to.

 

[getaclue]

Backyard, one day of high humidity shouldn't really affect the eggs that much at this stage of things. You do need to get it under control though.

Many of the styrofoam incubators come with plastic plugs (little giant uses red) for the vent holes. Make sure they have been removed. I know little giant says remove one, then remove the other during lockdown. Most people find it easier to maintain better control of temperature, and especially humidity during the entire process when they remove both plugs right from the start.

I live in Central Florida, so I totally understand high ambient humidity, however, the heat in the incubator does dry out the humidity in the incubator, for the most part. The inside of an incubator tends to be it's own environment, although it is somewhat affected by outside conditions, when placed in a good location, even outside conditions should not have radical effects on the overall inside environment. In other words, a rainy day, should not cause the humidity inside the incubator to climb to 95%.