Newbie Humidity Question

[mhschafer]

Hi, we are first-timer incubators!! Day 21 is tomorrow and the incubator is on "lock down". However--according to the hygrometer, the humidity is too low. Which is more important: keeping the incubator closed at this point? Or adding some more water? Everything I read says humidity is key to a good hatch, so I'm concerned. Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[chasiekitten12]

Humidity should be near 70%

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi, we are first-timer incubators!! Day 21 is tomorrow and the incubator is on "lock down". However--according to the hygrometer, the humidity is too low. Which is more important: keeping the incubator closed at this point? Or adding some more water? Everything I read says humidity is key to a good hatch, so I'm concerned. Thanks for your thoughts.

I say add the water, especially if you have no pips in the eggs. How "low" is it?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I used sponges in mine. It was so much easier just to open it enough to pull out a sponge, wet it and stick it back in. I never lost more than 2-3% humidity.

 

[ChickenPeep]

If your humidity is already low, then you definitely need to raise it. The biggest reason that it is important to keep the incubator closed is because it can lower the humidity, and if your's is already low then it's not going to hurt it much. You should definitely add some water.
Good luck!

 

[mhschafer]

Thanks everyone. It's about 44%, and I"ve read it should be about 70% for hatching. I'll add some water and maybe a sponge.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

If it's that low than definitely it needs to be higher.

 

[mhschafer]

Hi to all who commented on my thread asking about humidity. I followed your advice and raised the humidity. I did this with wet sponges, and it almost immediately doubled the humidity. We had our very first hatch last week. Out of 28 eggs, 17 hatched. So I guess for absolute newbies that wasn't too bad! Thanks again for your help.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi to all who commented on my thread asking about humidity. I followed your advice and raised the humidity. I did this with wet sponges, and it almost immediately doubled the humidity. We had our very first hatch last week. Out of 28 eggs, 17 hatched. So I guess for absolute newbies that wasn't too bad!

Awesome!! Congrats!!!

 

[ChickenPeep]

Congrats on your new baby chickies!!