# Humidity way too high!



## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

So I'm on day 3 of incubating 6 chicken eggs and my humidity is way too high. 87%! I live in Massachusetts, so while the weather is getting nicer.. the humidity is getting higher. Should I just take water out of the incubator completely? Not sure what would help. I don't want to screw these up, it's my first time


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yep, take the water out. If the ambient humidity is running high you might get away without water.

But I have to ask, what are you using to monitor your humidity? If you're not using something of a good quality it could be reading incorrectly. Same goes for temp.


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

I'm using a hygrometer/thermometer I got off of Amazon. I spent 15 dollars on it so I'm hoping it's not incorrect!


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

I have a spare hygrometer/thermometer from Fluckers that came in a pack for my bearded dragon.. should I use that too? I'm hoping I didn't kill these chicks, I feel clueless!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Oh heck yes!!! Put that Fluckers in there. One of the things people kept saying when I first got started was to use a good reptile thermo, they were not wrong.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I doubt you killed anyone. In Florida here, I have used no water, or even 1 tablespoon of water once a day. I like anywhere around 30%. I've had it 43% with no water, just Florida, in my closet!


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

Oh I feel much better about it now! I've been reading a few different forums on here about incubating and it seems these little eggs are quite resilient to a lot! Which is good, because I'm definitely pushing them to their limit. Haha.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Jmmacfarlane said:


> Oh I feel much better about it now! I've been reading a few different forums on here about incubating and it seems these little eggs are quite resilient to a lot! Which is good, because I'm definitely pushing them to their limit. Haha.


One time I got 13 eggs in the mail. One was horrible rotten. When I incubated the rest, at day 5 it looked like 2 were sweating. I threw them out. I ended up throwing the rest out too. In a bag, swung a few times into the side of a garbage can to break them, and they stayed overnight in the 50's outside. The seller said I should try the rest. So there were 8 unbroken eggs that candled "live" at 6 days old. The all hatched .

There are so many factors that go into a good hatch. Genetics, virility of the roo, shipping, and incubator. I found out that my personal eggs, although good breeding, did not ship well. I tried 4-5 times. I sent lots of extras. They just did not ship well. Around the same time I gave someone a dozen eggs x 2 and they all survived.

I use the "dry" method and have had a few 100% hatches, and most pretty good. I got one egg one time hatch but the rest were not fertile. The thing I do the most is micromanage. I am in the room checking temp and humidity quite a few times daily, and turn the eggs keeping the fatter end up.


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

My humidity just won't go down! I've taken out the water completely, because the humidity outside in MA right now is 70%. I've been keeping a hygrometer/thermometer combo in my bedroom next to the incubator. The inside of the incubator is about 70%, and that's with a tiny bit of water in the bottom, so I took it out. This is so frustrating! I don't want to mess up this batch. The first batch I was hatching (from my mom) none of them ended up being fertile. This time I know they're fertile, at least some of them, because I got them from a local breeder who has 1 rooster for every 8 hens, and he has over 300 chickens! All separated by breed. I bought 6 heritage RIR eggs and 3 OEs. If I mess these up thanks to MA humidity, I'm going to be so sad


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Did you double check with the Fluckers? I suspect what you're using now is the issue.


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

I've only been using the Fluckers! I bought a second one too because I thought maybe the one I was using was the problem, but that one is reading the same. Ugh.


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

It's been better since I've taken all the water out, its down to 55%. But shouldn't I have some water in it? Or should I not stress it until right before lockdown?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

If your humidity is holding without the water then that means it's not needed. 

Down here in the hot humid south I left my incubator out in the coop with no water in it during any of the incubation, the eggs hatched just fine.


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## Jmmacfarlane (Apr 5, 2017)

Oh! That's good to hear. Maybe it'll be alright without it then. The next week is only in the mid 50s here (so frustrating, since it was 80 yesterday), so I'll keep an eye on it, but hopefully it's alright without it!


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