Incubating...humidity question

[ambrosia]

Forgive any newbie questions in advance please! I have just begun my incubation, and throughout my reading on this forum and gleaning from as many experienced chicken people as I can I had decided that too much moisture at first = bad, and too little later = bad. However, my home is always heated to approx 75 degrees and my humidity reading is at 7%!!! I am thinking that's way too low

Any thoughts...? This is my first hatch, and I want to give them the best chance possible!

 

[CarolJ]

I have the same question. We keep our house around 68-70 all the time - and the humidity is low. I'm finishing the second week of incubation - and the humidity is under 20. I've got friends who swear they don't even look at humidity until lockdown - but it still makes me nervous to see the humidity so low.

 

[ambrosia]

It wouldn't be so bad if we heated with propane or something, but wood heat is so drying! I water my diffenbacchia (sp) twice a week to keep it from wilting! I love DH for providing, but now I'm worried. I have a humidifier going in the house, and a three gallon dutch oven sitting on the wood stove to prevent over drying... but 7%???

Oh, what to do....

 

[ambrosia]

Anyone with a similar experience? If not, I will put a little water in before I go to bed, and just hope for the best...

 

[FarmGirl01]

I hope I didn't miss anything. But what type of incubator are you using?

 

[kizanne]

you don't have to keep the whole house humid just their incubator.

What incubator are you using most of them have someplace you put water to provide humidity.

If you use the dry hatch method the humidity in the beginning is around 35% then about 65% for lockdown.

I have only just now done my first hatch so not an expert at all but 7% is definately low look for where to add water to the incubator. If you can't find it add a cup of water or two wait and check humidity if it is too much reduce the surface area of the water provide, if it is too low add a sponge or papertowel wick to the cup.

 

[ambrosia]

Hova bator.... and I know I can put some water in, but with the 'dry incubation' method i was thinking easy peezy. Til I saw my humidity level! I put water in just a few minutes ago. 8%. It's gonna be a long night...

 

[ambrosia]

I'm thinking maybe a wet paper towel along the side, for a boost? just to maybe get it somewhere close to normal??? I had no idea my house was that dry!!!

 

[CapricornFarm]

We have a wood stove too! I don't add water until lockdown, but a bit is not going to hurt anything. Don't worry, just relax and enjoy the season.

 

[CBarrett]

Quote:
Are you measuring humidity in the house or the incubator? I have not measured the humidity for the incubator, I just followed the directions for the hovabator, adding water to it about every 3 days from the beginning and a little more during lockdown. Our first hatch was 6 out of 8 eggs, and the 2nd hatch was 19 out of 24.