How many times can you safely open the incubator ?

[artathart]

Okay so my eggs have been in for 30 hours. In that 30 hours I have had trouble with temps and have made many adjustments. I have raised the lid roughly 15 times but only for a split second. I mean super fast. Never taking the lid off and leaving it off. Can this ruin my hatch?

 

[sweeterdeeter42]

If you think about it, the mother chicken gets off her nest to eat and drink and whatnot. Also, people open the incubator to turn the eggs and to add water and to candle. I think you are ok.

 

[gryeyes]

Not so much in the first 18 days of incubation, no. It's during the hatching phase, days 19, 20 and 21, called "lockdown" when you raise the humidity and stop turning the eggs that you shouldn't open the 'bator.

 

[Missouri Chicken Chick]

No, this won't ruin your hatch. But it would be good if you could get a handle on your temperature, then make sure you have enough humidity since you've opened the incubator a few times. This would be no different than a mama hen leaving eggs briefly to eat, drink and do her business. It also take quite a bit of time for the internal temperature of an egg to come down, so your brief times of opening the incubator shouldn't cause any problems.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
What she said. Of course I would not take the top off, set it down and go take a shower, but taking the top off to candle, add water, adjust temps is just fine.

 

[artathart]

Me meter is reading at 34% humidity. I have the center filled with water but not the two smaller areas. Should I add more water? Is 34% too low?

 

[artathart]

Humidity in the room is a steady 50-55%

 

[debilorrah]

Actually the only time you need to really worry about humidity is during lockdown, the last three days. My humidity will go as low as 10% and I add water, but it does not worry me.

 

[artathart]

Quote:
Great. I found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html and I would like to try to do a dry incubation as much as possible. I live on the east coast and we tend to have a good bit of humidity. I added the water before I read this article and I am just going to allow it to evaporate and not any more unless I get below 20% and then when its time for lock down, I will add enough water to bring it up.

Thanks guys. I have been a nervous wreck during my first hatch and have had a bunch of questions. Thanks for the help. I will try to limit my lid opening till its time to candle.

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Great. I found this https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html and I would like to try to do a dry incubation as much as possible. I live on the east coast and we tend to have a good bit of humidity. I added the water before I read this article and I am just going to allow it to evaporate and not any more unless I get below 20% and then when its time for lock down, I will add enough water to bring it up.

Thanks guys. I have been a nervous wreck during my first hatch and have had a bunch of questions. Thanks for the help. I will try to limit my lid opening till its time to candle.

Keep asking!!! We will help you. Don't worry. My first hatch, I had 24 eggs and 1 hatched. Second hatch, 24 eggs and none hatched. I went on like that for a while. Then I decided to hatch my own eggs. 100% hatch rate. So I learned - shipped eggs are a crap shoot.