I want to reduce the humidity of the egg incubator

[gcmbain68]

I have a 48 hdd egg incubator. I put 40mm of water in and the humidity goes to 65%. If I remove all the water it takes a few minutes before the incubator looses humidity and goes below 35%. I would like the humidity to be about 55%. This is my second batch. With my first batch I put 150mm water in the humidity stayed at 65% for 19 days. The humidity dropped. I added 200 mm water and the humidity went back to 65%. In the end no chicks hatched. All were in various stages of development. The temperature of the incubator at times dropped at night to 35,2 c but during the day in was 37.5. I think the humidity 0f 65 % the first 18 days caused the chicks not to fully develop? Please advise?

 

[Pyxis]

Humidity is determined by the surface area of the water, not the amount of it. So to lower the humidity, you would need to put the water into a container that has a smaller surface area than what you are currently using.

Yes, humidity that high last time is very likely what kept your chicks from hatching. The eggs wouldn't have lost enough moisture and as a result the chicks drowned before they could hatch.

Actually, your humidity when you have no water in there, 35%, is probably going to work fine for you, unless you are pretty far above sea level. For me, my hatches go best when I keep the humidity at 30% for the first 18 days.

Also, if your temperature is still dropping that low at night, then your hatches would very likely end up being late, maybe even by a day or two.

One last question, is your incubator still air or forced air?

 

[bcarthen]

Where i live, my normal humidity runs around 45-50. I dont have to add any water through day 18. During lockdown i only have to add a very small amount to get up to 70%.

 

[gcmbain68]

Thanks guys. I have a forced air incubator. (Has a fan)

 

[gcmbain68]

Following the above advice my next batch of 48 eggs I put no water in. I set the temp slightly higher from 37.5 to 37.6 degrees c because of the temp swings at night. The temperature was stable and the humidity around 48%. On day 18 I added water which brought humidity up to 68%. The chickens started hatching on day 22 and 23. 18 out of the 48 hatched but one died leaving it at 17 chicks. (Red Rhode and Australorps)

The humidity I believe I got right. Thanks! Good advice! The late hatching I have read is caused by a too low temp. Yesterday I started a new batch and set the temp at 38 degrees c. I find the the temp does not want to go above 37.2 c. Why? I am using a JN48 egg incubator. Is it possible after cleaning incubator I could have moved the sensor of the incubator?

 

[gcmbain68]

Eureka! I have found the solution. I was told to put the the incubator in the formelite packing it came in. The temp is now up to where I want it and keeping it.

 

[Maiahr]

I also found out that when I put the incubator in the styrofoam box it came it, both the temp & humidity go up immediately.