After reading on dry incubation methods and worried about drowning chicks.... I got my humidity to about 40% on day one and the only time I tried to get it up was half way through it dropped to 29% so I added some water..... stayed at about 34-37% until hatch when on the evening of the 18th I bumped it up to 60% and between hatching eggs and all it floated between 64-76%.
I did end up having to open mine for a rescue... but my humidity and temps never budged... but, I think this is because my house's humidity must have helped. I did end up opening it once every 4 hours or so to remove chicks that were panting. Some eggs were pipped at the time, but I never opened it all the way. I think this helped keep humidity in, as I never experienced a drop. However, this being said..... the problems that occurred during this hatch... wing in the fan blades, worry about the wires on the thermostat, etc will be remedied before my next hatch so that I will NOT have to open the incubator! I agree that it is best to leave it shut!!!
When my last 2 pipped eggs hatched and the chicks dried... I did candle my remaining 5 eggs one at a time and saw absolutely no movement... they didn't appear to have done anything. I put them back in just in case and today I will remove them and clean the bator.
Also.... I have heard concern over the styrofoam cartons, but I don't know if anyone has lost chicks to them or not. I incubated them on their sides until day 17 when I placed them in cartons (just in case some wanted to pip early I didn't want to mess with them too much on day 18) I used the paper pulp cartons. I was worried that the styrofoam wouldn't allow for as much air flow, but seeing how snug some of my eggs were, I am thinking it couldn;t have mattered ALL that much.
How did your first hatch go?
