Tomorrow is lockdown! SOOOO nervous!

[Millhouse]

So, tomorrow is lockdown. I have been using my homemade 'bator and have been really lucky to keep the temp between 99.5 and 101 (though the 101 was only for a tiny bit) with the humidity at 52-55. Fans going great, heat sink too... I hope I didn't forget anything.
This is my very first hatch - very eggcited! and nervous. I tried to candle some of the eggs but couldn't see too well. the Maran eggs were so hard to see but i could see the bubble at the top on most, the few i couldn't see were just dark, no light went through... my Americauna eggs were even worse! I guess my light wasn't bright enough.... the Orpingtons were ok, seemed like they all had the bubble at the top and looked like many of the pictures here in the forum (THANK YOU ALL for posting such great help!)
My issue is this: How do I get the humidity up to the 65% I keep reading about? Add another pan of water? The eggs are flat and have been turned 3 times a day, do I do anything to the temperature?
Getting worried, I don't want to mess this up! There's 3 dozen in there! Any advice would be great!
BTW does lock down start at the time of the last turning tonight?

 

[chickaroo3]

First step.....STOP STRESSING .... I know your stress all too well...I to just did my first hatch and ended up with 7 out of 8 eggs hatching. I was completely stressed.

as far as the humidity goes...it does not matter how deep your water is it is the surface area of the water that matters. the more surface area you have the higher the humidity. So yes adding another pan of water will raise the humidity...I have also heard of people using sponges that are in a glass or in a pan.

Your temp is great...101 will not hurt the eggs...from everything that I read and responses I have received you have to avoid 103 and higher for any substantial period of time. So I think that you are good.

If you are this far along and candling is hard that is a good thing. I am sure you will be as amazed as I was when you see a chick emerge from the egg. I remember just sitting there wondering how in the world a chick that size fit in that little egg it just emerged from. So the dark is good...hopefully and most likely it is all chick in there.

Good luck I hope everything goes great!!!!!!

 

[Millhouse]

THANK YOU! I know each new egger must be terribly nervous the first hatch.... nice to no be alone! So, here we go! I hope I didn't mess it all up! We'll see what happens.

 

[Millhouse]

Tonight is the evening of day 24... 25th by the time this posots.... wow this has been SO HARD and nerve wracking! I had one REALLY bad egg (it was weeping weird brown stuff so it was removed) and after candling tonight (I figured they were all dead) I had 6 totally clear infertile eggs. so, my original 36 is now at 29. And after ALL THIS WAITING I have TWO PIPS on day 25! The eggs were set late evening of February 24th.... the remaining eggs (not counting the two pipped) have huge dark masses inside but I can't tell if they are viable. So, we wait. My question is this, there were a few that looked more like day 14 or so (according to pics online). Do I throw them out? Or do I continue to wait, a possible late hatch?