New to incubating please help

[Shamo12]

Hi everyone i have been lurking on this forum for a while and this is the 1st time i have attempted to hatch eggs so would appreciate some guidance. So onto my questions (sorry if its long) i set 15 shamo eggs on the 27th last month in a polystyrene box with glass window which i open to turn the eggs by hand, a cheap thermometer/hytrometer and water dish, i am not sure how accurate my thermometer is but have compared to other digital thermometers and it reads identically to them, i try keep the temperature at 38.5c but sometimes goes higher or little lower for short periods of times, humidity at over 30% but under 50% average of 35%. Now onto my problem according to my calculations today is the day i start the lock down but i can not get my humity higher than 30% because i have to open the glass window a few cms and keep it there to keep temps down i know what your thinking i should have sorted this out before i started incubating but i did and i tested everything to see what i need to keep humidity higher for humidity and got it sorted but in the past few days weather is very hot so i need to now keep the window open and that is what is making humidity escape, i dont have lower wattage light so would greatly appreciate any tips many thanks.

 

[JUnderwoodFarms]

Maybe try a shallower dish of water... The deeper the dish the harder it is to keep it warm enought to evaporate to create that humid enviroment... and maybe try laying a moist paper towel over the hole you are leaving open... it will allow some air to escape but should hold most of the humidity. I know what its like to be unprepaired your first time... I did the same thing.

 

[Shamo12]

I will try the moist paper trick on one side as worried it will drip onto eggs if i cover whole area, how shallow should the dish be roughly? At the moment there are 3 bottle bottoms cut to around 5-7.5cm. Also as i am not 100% sure if temperature of thermometer is accurate im worried if it is lower than it states that i will be starting lockdown to early or does it not really matter?

 

[Shamo12]

I have now moved the incubator to a cooler room so hoping the temp and humidity will be ok. I have turned the eggs for the last time and positioned them so they are all touching each other as i read apparently that way they should all hatch at the same time is that right? Im a little worried that because they are touching eachother they wont be able to break apart their shells properly im completely new to this so sorry if the questions sound stupid

 

[Shamo12]

Im guessing no one knows the answer oh well will just have to hope for the best

 

[2crazy2run]

Wire in a dimmer switch to reduce the power to the bulb(heat) so that you can keep your window closed and the humidity in

 

[Shamo12]

Wire in a dimmer switch to reduce the power to the bulb(heat) so that you can keep your window closed and the humidity in

This was excactly what i was thinking right now i found the plug in dimmers and i wish i had purchased one beforehand as i cant find a store which stock them near me so i can only buy online but it wont be with me in time

 

[Shamo12]

Humidity is now at 56% is that ok or should i keep trying to get it higher? And does anyone have an answer to if the eggs should be touching or not?

 

[2crazy2run]

How desperate are you? Heating pads have dimmer switches( hi/lo) cut the cord and wire it in. I don't know how important the eggs are....

 

[jaybobrenn]

I don't think it will hurt for the eggs to be touching, but I would try to get the humidity up a tad. I think it should be around 75% after day 18. Im fairly new to incubating also, I just started my third time.