humidity

[patnjess]

My house is more humid then my incubator. This is my first hatch using a hydrometer. I have done about 5 hatches or so without one and have about 95% hatch or better. But I noticed I can't get the humidity above 50% this is the first full day in there. Should I worry since I have always had such a high hatch rate? How can I raise the humidity if not?

 

[patnjess]

I thought I would add I clean all my eggs before placing in the bator with really warm water and a tiny bit of bleach. I haven't seen anyone post about cleaning their eggs before

 

[Julie08]

most people dont clean, and I have never heard of putting bleach on the eggs. I certainly wouldnt do that since eggs are porous.. as for humidity if you were getting 95% hatches I wouldnt change a thing.

 

[biddybird]

Never heard of using bleach on the eggs. I use really clean eggs and spot clean with a warm paper towel if I find a dirty spot. Seems to keep my bator smelling better. If you have had good hatch rates before, I don't think I would worry about the humidity, unless you are hatching at a different time of year than before.

 

[georgialee]

DON'T clean and definitely don't bleach your eggs!!! 50% is fine until lockdown then you want 60-70%.

 

[patnjess]

I have always cleaned my eggs, I fill an extra large coffee cup with hot water, and 1/2tsp of bleach, let it sit 30 secs, then towel off and put in the bator. I always get great hatches. I read that in a book about hatching that you should always clean them like this, the warm water draws the bacterica out, and the little bit of bleach kills the germs.

I don't know always had great hatches, and no stinky or exploding eggs, mainly just unfertilized or bad yolk.

 

[mmfarm]

I don't dip my eggs, but I know people who swear by it. If you're getting good hatches, don't change a thing!

 

[bigdaddyabc]

Hmmmm, the guy I got my eggs from locally said he NEVER cleans his eggs and told me not to (first time incubator). My humidity is sitting right about 60%. Candling looks pretty good, with dark areas forming in all but one egg, but I am holding out hope. I guess I will just see how it works out. I kinda figure that having seen the bottom of a hen, how sanitized can it really be down there??