Please help with incubation humidity

[Tumbleweedlynn]

I have been trying to set eggs for the last 24 hours and cannot get the humidity set to save my life. I’m in the desert and our humidity is already low, but I can’t get this humidity past 45 unless I fill the reservoir, then it hits 60+ (nurture right 360). I had an issue with this on my last hatch, so I bought the hygrometer, and of course my incubator is off. Incubator says temp 101 and humidity 46, but hygrometer says 99.8 and 45.3. My temp can only be adjusted by .5 degrees, so I end up higher than 99.5 or lower, but never spot on. What the heck? Please help - thanks!

 

[Purelychicks]

50-60 is a good humidity. Maybe fill the reservoir half way

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Depth of water doesn't change humidity, it's the surface area. Your current humidity is fine for incubation. You don't want to incubate high, it's when hatching you raise it. You've plenty of time to figure out what it will take to raise it some for hatch.

You'll need to add to the surface area of water. Or raise the humidity in the room you are hatching in. So you've two options. Add a small dish of water or use a humidifier in the room.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

Depth of water doesn't change humidity, it's the surface area. Your current humidity is fine for incubation. You don't want to incubate high, it's when hatching you raise it. You've plenty of time to figure out what it will take to raise it some for hatch.

You'll need to add to the surface area of water. Or raise the humidity in the room you are hatching in. So you've two options. Add a small dish of water or use a humidifier in the room.

Thank you What another the temp? I get it to 99.9 or 94.9. Which should I go with?

 

[sevenhelmet]

This IncuView has the same problem of humidity spiking too high when adding even a tiny amount of water to the built in reservoir, so I’m using a shot glass to regulate things. It’s pictured below (back right, hard to see). I put it on a small square of cardboard so it doesn’t spill when the turning tray slides back and forth. With the vent open, it keeps the humidity steady around 40-45%. I refill it about once a day.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

This IncuView has the same problem of humidity spiking too high when adding even a tiny amount of water to the built in reservoir, so I’m using a shot glass to regulate things. It’s pictured below (back right, hard to see). I put it on a small square of cardboard so it doesn’t spill when the turning tray slides back and forth. With the vent open, it keeps the humidity steady around 40-45%. I refill it about once a day.

View attachment 3369370

Man, this is totally frustrating! Humidity goes up, temp goes down. Now I’m at 98.3 temp and 48.3 humidity. What temp range do you go with?

 

[sevenhelmet]

Man, this is totally frustrating! Humidity goes up, temp goes down. Now I’m at 98.3 temp and 48.3 humidity. What temp range do you go with?

I leave mine set at 99.5. Humidity shouldn’t affect temperature in an electronically-regulated incubator.

 

[Kiki]

I have been trying to set eggs for the last 24 hours and cannot get the humidity set to save my life. I’m in the desert and our humidity is already low, but I can’t get this humidity past 45 unless I fill the reservoir, then it hits 60+ (nurture right 360). I had an issue with this on my last hatch, so I bought the hygrometer, and of course my incubator is off. Incubator says temp 101 and humidity 46, but hygrometer says 99.8 and 45.3. My temp can only be adjusted by .5 degrees, so I end up higher than 99.5 or lower, but never spot on. What the heck? Please help - thanks!

If you have not purchased and salt tested a separate humidity gauge than I would get one before you set eggs again.

Built-in thermometers/temperature and humidity readings on incubators cannot be trusted.

I purposely incubate my eggs at about 30 to 35% humidity for the first 15 days and I have zero issues, but I also have a salt tested humidity gauge so I am sure my humidity reading is correct.

 

[Tumbleweedlynn]

If you have not purchased and salt tested a separate humidity gauge than I would get one before you set eggs again.

Built-in thermometers/temperature and humidity readings on incubators cannot be trusted.

I purposely incubate my eggs at about 30 to 35% humidity for the first 15 days and I have zero issues, but I also have a salt tested humidity gauge so I am sure my humidity reading is correct.

I do not have a salt tested gauge, I just purchased the hygrometer and am using that to gauge the difference from my incubator readings. The humidity isn’t off by more than 1%, it’s the temp that’s off. I just placed a humidifier under the table to make sure the humidity stays solid since it’s so dry here. I’ve adjusted the temp on the incubator to match the hygrometer to get up to 99.5. I’ll give it a couple hours and go from there.

 

[sevenhelmet]

I do not have a salt tested gauge, I just purchased the hygrometer and am using that to gauge the difference from my incubator readings. The humidity isn’t off by more than 1%, it’s the temp that’s off. I just placed a humidifier under the table to make sure the humidity stays solid since it’s so dry here. I’ve adjusted the temp on the incubator to match the hygrometer to get up to 99.5. I’ll give it a couple hours and go from there.

Hold on- are you adjusting temperature to get your humidity readings correct? You could easily end up chasing your tail that way, and your temps will be all over the place.

Adjust and calibrate temperature first, before worrying about humidity. Temp is more important to eggs. You can take out your hygrometer and salt-test it while you regulate temperature. Then with a calibrated hygro (or one that has an understood error) adjust humidity by varying the amount of water that can evaporate (surface area) and/or regulating the vent(s) on your incubator. If the reservoirs in your ‘bator are too much, try a shot glass or a small bowl of water and go from there.