Lockdown Humidity

[Chicken RN]

Of course my trial runs before eggs went well but now I am day 19 should be on lockdown and I AM STRUGGLING!! I am using a small home made styrofoam ice chest that is about 8”x8”. The whole incubation time I was able to keep humidity between 40-45% with little effort. I have increased sponges and water etc for lockdown but cannot get humidity up above 50-69 at most. If I spray warm water in incubator through vent holes humidity rises but it is short lived and then temp drops to the mid 90s versus staying around 99-100. It is a still air incubator. I have even tried putting a bowl of water directly under the bulb with no increase. PLEASE HELP!!!!

 

[igorsMistress]

Humidity is controlled by surface area not depth so a shallow wide dish would be better than a bowl. Your area to work with is pretty small though so something shallow on the floor with a screen over the top might work, then put the eggs on the screen. 69% isn't bad at all. If it fluctuates between that and 50% then your average is pretty good. People dry hatch with great results so don't stress out too much.

 

[Chicken RN]

I had a half of a sponge in the small dish at top of water to increase the surface area. The bottom of incubator is lined with saturated sponges and then the little tack with grip shelf liner is on top.

 

[Chicken RN]

Will it hurt anything if I have to mist the walls of incubator every so often???

 

[RrooKk]

I agree that those humidity temps are actually pretty good. I would just keep doing what you are doing and keep an eye out every so often. Those levels shouldn't affect the hatch negatively. Once they start hatching it'll go up as well.

 

[Chicken RN]

Thanks. I have just read where it needed to be 70%+ for lockdown and I cannot hold there for the life of me. Like I said it’s mostly 50-60s.

 

[RrooKk]

Thanks. I have just read where it needed to be 70%+ for lockdown and I cannot hold there for the life of me. Like I said it’s mostly 50-60s.

I personally have had more luck with the 65-70% range when my chicks hatch. Just my personal experience, and when my chicks start to hatch the humidity always surpasses 70%, from the wet little babes alone.