Humidity won't go up high enough.

[Madi131]

Tomorrow I start lock down with my batch of silkie eggs. I can't get the humidity to go higher than 54% i have added two extra bowls of water with sponges in them. That's when it got up to 54% after about an hour. I already had to fill both ravines to keep it between 35-50%. This is my first time incubating so I don't know what to do

 

[R2elk]

Tomorrow I start lock down with my batch of silkie eggs. I can't get the humidity to go higher than 54% i have added two extra bowls of water with sponges in them. That's when it got up to 54% after about an hour. I already had to fill both ravines to keep it between 35-50%. This is my first time incubating so I don't know what to do

If you aren't using a calibrated hygrometer, you do not know what your humidity is. To increase humidity, increase the surface area of the water. Increasing the depth of the water will not increase humidity.

@WVduckchick has a link to her humidity guide in her signature.

Incubation Humidity Guide

 

[WVduckchick]

Which incubator are you using?

 

[Madi131]

I'm using a farm innovator 2100
I know the hygrometer and thermometer work, I tested it with another hygrometer/thermometer. It's just winter and super dry air.

Which incubator are you using?

 

[Madi131]

I put a small Tupperware of water in there. Rubberbanded a piece of screen onto it so no one can get into it. I'm going to check in a little bit if that worked. I realized the sponges weren't very saturated on top, so I took them out earlier

 

[WVduckchick]

I put a small Tupperware of water in there. Rubberbanded a piece of screen onto it so no one can get into it. I'm going to check in a little bit if that worked. I realized the sponges weren't very saturated on top, so I took them out earlier

How's it going now?

You can also put the sponges inside the bowl, then you probably wouldn't need the screen. But hopefully you figured out what works for you! Good luck with your hatch.

p.s. I had silkies a few years ago, and their eggs were very glossy and kinda thick, and didn't lose moisture especially well. They were sometimes challenging to incubate with other breeds eggs, but I found that lower humidity worked better for silkies anyway.

 

[Madi131]

How's it going now?

You can also put the sponges inside the bowl, then you probably wouldn't need the screen. But hopefully you figured out what works for you! Good luck with your hatch.

p.s. I had silkies a few years ago, and their eggs were very glossy and kinda thick, and didn't lose moisture especially well. They were sometimes challenging to incubate with other breeds eggs, but I found that lower humidity worked better for silkies anyway.

I got the humidity up to around 62% but it's fluctuating, is that okay you think? I ended up getting some steamy water to put into the bowl. I did try it with the sponges in the bowl, but without worked better surprisingly. The air sacs are right on schedule so it seems. Some a little smaller than others but not too major.