Oh no! Lockdown humidity low!

[daniellenoel]

We are on day 20 with chick eggs in a Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance
the humidity was down to 55%... so, I opened it to add more water. Did I just doom the little guys? Will they be okay? I am new at this and know they can get stuck and am really worried now that I hurt them, but thought they would all be stuck in the egg tomorrow if the humidity stayed at 55%
I did not have it open for more than 3 minutes and the humidity steadily climbed back up quickly and is now at 63%
Any thoughts or suggestions??
Please and thanks

 

[jerseygirl1]

I doubt you did any damage as long as none of the eggs had started to pip......................

 

[crazy4hens]

I am on day 19 and am using a Brisnea 20 also. I have a hard time getting it above 64 or so. I opened it this morning to add water, Im scared once they start to pip if it goes down what will happen, there is no way to get water in there??

Tracy

 

[daniellenoel]

Pip is when they start to make their little hole right??
No-none had started doing that. temp was fine 99.6 and they all looked good
Thanks for the feedback. I will keep you posted
Thanks

 

[mrbstephens]

Do you have a way of adding water without opening the incubator? Every time you open it you let more humidity out. You should NEVER open the incubator during lockdown.

 

[technodoll]

I'm on my 4th hatch and have never had any problems opening the incubator during lockdown to add water or help a hatching chick.

My chicks seem to like hatching at day 19 or 20 and there is always a late-comer who waits until day 22, they all come out healthy and happy (except for a chick with deformed hips due to fetus misplacement in the egg).

So if you need to open the incubator whatever reason: don't panic, your chicks should be fine as long as the temps and humidity recalibrate themselves quickly

Good luck!

 

[daniellenoel]

Thanks everyone
I know you're not supposed to open it, but wouldn't it be worse for them all to be stuck inside due to low humidity?? Does a mother hen get off her eggs when they are close to hatching?
I would hate to make it worse for them but had a bad feeling that if I didn't increase humidity it would be worse. I am doing this with my 2nd graders in class so I cannot keep a constant eye on everything since it is at school. I would hate for my class to have none hatch
Thanks

 

[jerseygirl1]

They say that if you need to open while pipping, go into a bathroom and run the shower full steam ahead so you don't lose any humidity.

 

[daniellenoel]

up to 66% and seems to be staying there is that ok?????
temp 99.6
I hope so... no pipping yet.

 

[_Randall_]

Quote:
If you have to lift the lid again, if it's where you can, have at least 4 Maxi-Pads ready to stuff in there where there's room down under in the bottom. I went into lockdown yesterday evening, and lined the bottom of my LG with 6 Maxi-Pads just in case I couldn't get 70% humidity.....even after I filled all the water wells. Guess what?...........It didn't climb above 62% .................... So, I've been running a clear plastic fish tank aerotor tube down through the top air holes to the pads, and injecting water through them with a marinade injector syringe and needle.................and holding 70+% humidity with no problem.