split incubation and lockdown- hatching

[SA newbie]

Hi all, setting our first eggs tomorrow Wednesday 16 Nov, but we only have 18 eggs and the bator can take 50. They say that we can use cardboard partitions to set at weekly intervals. Now that would suit me great, but what happens with lockdown and hatching when we push the humidity up. As it is during a test run today my temp held steady and the humidity held steady, but humidity was at 54% without any water in the bator. The bator is made of wood with a shelf on which to put eggs. Two bulbs a themometer- calibrated with two others- and a humidity meter. We are going into our rain season in SA and general humidity is high. So I have a few questions:
+Can I do split incubations? But what about lockdown?
+ how can I lower humidity? Outside humidity is 60% so its running lower in the bator.
+ have weighed eggs and have been turning while waiting to collect enough eggs- oldest egg is 9 days.
Any help that you all can give will be most appreciated- breeds are barred rocks and black austrolorp. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[nivtup]

We routinely hatch without raising humidity.

I generally run at 45%-50% for the full cycle and have no shortage of chicks.




Good luck...............