In lockdown with pips - is humidity high enough!?!?

[wordgirl]

I've got at least four pips right now, although none have really started zipping yet. Humidity was at 70%, but it's dropped to 67% (I think probably because someone opened the window in the room - I just closed it). I have a sponge in there, and two wet washcloths that are in cups/jars in there, and both troughs filled in the bottom. I don't want to open the incubator for fear of shrink-wrapping them or dropping humidity further, but I wish the humidity were higher. What do I do? Is this high enough?

Thank you!

 

[Yiannisk]

It is Ok! do not worry just resist opening it

 

[toadbriar]

I wish I had advice. I hate this part... and this is when I wish I had TWO hygrometers, in case one is inaccurate. My incubators are homemade but I have used a syringe (not with a needle) and/or a length of aquarium hosing to squirt more water through one of the air holes, without opening the lid. Of course my incubators are homemade so punching extra holes in and/or taping them back up again is part of the deal :-/

BUT YOU ARE PROBABLY FINE.

 

[wordgirl]

Thanks, both of you! I feel a little better now.

toadbriar - I know. I wish I'd actually calibrated it before I used it

Oh well. It's bumped up to 69% right now, but I'd feel even more comfortable if it was ABOVE 70%. Aquarium hose...hmm, I think I have some of that somewhere. Where should I squirt? Just the bottom of the incubator? Any surface? Should I avoid getting it on the eggs, or would that actually be good?

 

[Yiannisk]

Even mama hen leaves the nest when the first chicks hatch and the rest continue to hatch so do not worry so much about Humidity as far as we talk about chickens there is a lot of tolerance on Ducks and goose is critical

 

[wordgirl]

Even mama hen leaves the nest when the first chicks hatch and the rest continue to hatch so do not worry so much about Humidity as far as we talk about chickens there is a lot of tolerance on Ducks and goose is critical

These are duck eggs.

 

[wordgirl]

Stuck my spray bottle nose in one of the big plugged air holes and the humidity's now up to 71%. Hope the egg that got quite wet (it's dry now) will be okay.

 

[Yiannisk]

you have done well sorry did'nt know that it was duck eggs i was talking about chickens

 

[toadbriar]

Thanks, both of you! I feel a little better now.

toadbriar - I know. I wish I'd actually calibrated it before I used it

Oh well. It's bumped up to 69% right now, but I'd feel even more comfortable if it was ABOVE 70%. Aquarium hose...hmm, I think I have some of that somewhere. Where should I squirt? Just the bottom of the incubator? Any surface? Should I avoid getting it on the eggs, or would that actually be good?

Is this where I admit I have once or twice stuck feminine hygiene pads to the inside wall of the incubator?

Naaaaah.

 

[wordgirl]

Yiannisk - no, that's okay - I didn't actually say they were duck eggs first off anyway.

Thank you for your help!

toadbriar - Well, hypothetically speaking of course, that's actually a very good idea. Next time! Your little stinkers are killing me. They keep cheeping and I go to check on them and nothing. else. has. happened.

And I hear scratchy noises...nothing. On two of them the pips are getting bigger, but it's going veeerrrryyy slowwwlllly. I have to run to TSC to get a heat lamp this afternoon and I'm worried they're going to hatch without me as soon as I leave!!!