Humidity went down overnight

[Kthompson12]

My humidity went down to 23% overnight. Humidity was fine when I left yesterday (eggs are in my classroom) should I fill water up each day before I leave to prevent it from dropping overnight? Will my eggs be ok since it dropped that low? Temp stayed at 99.5!

 

[CluckEmUp]

What stage are you at? First 18 days humidity between 20-40% is completely fine. There's a thing like "dry incubating" that doesn't demand much humidity at all.

The last 3 days is key though. Lockdown phase you have to have humidity at 60%+.

I've also read a study that misting the eggs with a spray bottle is actually fine, for the lockdown period. Apparently also in nature the hens put water on the eggs themselves. Not sure how true it is because people over here don't seem to recommend doing that, but I can't see what could go wrong honestly (again, only for the last 3 days).

 

[Ridgerunner]

should I fill water up each day before I leave to prevent it from dropping overnight?

I don't know what your water reservoir looks like or how the humidity works on your specific incubator but you want it to have humidity. I need to fill mine about every three or four days but other types of incubators may require more often filling.

Will my eggs be ok since it dropped that low?

That's how I know that I need to add water to my water reservoir. I check it a few times a day so I don't leave it dry too long. Until the egg pips it doesn't hurt for humidity to temporarily drop some. During the incubation phase it is about how much total moisture is lost through the porous eggshell. I want the average humidity to be OK and don't worry that much about instantaneous humidity.

Once the egg pips though you do not want it to dry out. That membrane surrounding the chicks can dry out and shrink around it, making it impossible for it to hatch without help.

 

[Kthompson12]

What stage are you at? First 18 days humidity between 20-40% is completely fine. There's a thing like "dry incubating" that doesn't demand much humidity at all.

The last 3 days is key though. Lockdown phase you have to have humidity at 60%+.

I've also read a study that misting the eggs with a spray bottle is actually fine, for the lockdown period. Apparently also in nature the hens put water on the eggs themselves. Not sure how true it is because people over here don't seem to recommend doing that, but I can't see what could go wrong honestly (again, only for the last 3 days).

I am only on day 3!!

 

[Kthompson12]

I don't know what your water reservoir looks like or how the humidity works on your specific incubator but you want it to have humidity. I need to fill mine about every three or four days but other types of incubators may require more often filling.


That's how I know that I need to add water to my water reservoir. I check it a few times a day so I don't leave it dry too long. Until the egg pips it doesn't hurt for humidity to temporarily drop some. During the incubation phase it is about how much total moisture is lost through the porous eggshell. I want the average humidity to be OK and don't worry that much about instantaneous humidity.

Once the egg pips though you do not want it to dry out. That membrane surrounding the chicks can dry out and shrink around it, making it impossible for it to hatch without help.

Yes I need to check the water when I leave every day! Eggs are in my classroom. It's hard to see if it needs water because I have 1 really old styrofoam Inc and 1 nice one that has a pod for the water on the outside so I can see if it's filled or not