# Hatching eggs-humidity



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I picked up a little incubator at a sale for my kids and scored some free fertile eggs yesterday....yay!! So I plug the thing in and start reading the directions. It says to put water in the grooves in the bottom and that the humidity needs to be 60-80% it was 45% right off the bat. So I put a little water in and wait a hour, still 45 so I keep putting water in and waiting and before bed I put quite a bit of water in and this morning it's only 50%. How in the world do I get the humidity up?? It didn't say if I need the humidity at the 60-80 before I put the eggs In or not so the eggs are not in yet. But if anyone has a idea how to get the humidity up that would be awesome because it's just not doing it!


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

the 1st days i keep mine at 40-45% on day 18 you want to increase, I put mine up to 60% at that point. 

Surface area is better than quantity of water. Try using paper towels draped into the water compartments so it will wick the water. Sponges work good, so does felt pieces.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Just kinda lay down paper towels in the bottom of it so that it sucks up the water?


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

yes, it works well


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Awesome! Thank you  so just put them in now (I took the one plug out and it's 45% now) and then on day 18 lay the paper towels down?


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

yes, 45 is good. on day 18 put enough paper towel in there to bring your humidity to the correct level 60-70%. You might need to adjust it a bit to get it right.

Good luck on your hatch!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Thank you! Hopefully in 21 days I'll have some babies lol it is way more harder/time consuming then I thought it would be. When I bought it I figured throw eggs in and have chicks in 21 days lol but hey I'm up for a challenge. But really thank you for your help


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I honestly just dump water in until the bottom is full :lol: If you get water droplets on the top, thats too much, just wipe it off and leave it for a few days. Mine doesnt have a humidity gauge, still hatched 100's of chickens.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

This stupid thing! I looked at it this morning and it's at 59% humidity I haven't done anything to it except put the eggs in it yesterday morning. 
Little bits I might end up doing that since it seemed to take 48 hours for the humidity to go up. Dang this is NOT as easy as I thought it was going to be


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

One egg just hatched  we will see if the other 11 do or not lol


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## lovinglife (Jun 6, 2013)

did you candle any of your eggs a week after you put them in?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Well I tried at 18 days but I didn't have a flashlight only my phone light and I couldn't see anything. So I'm just kinda going with it and fingers crossed none blow up!


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

See anymore pips?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Not yet. The directions said it could take a few days extra (???) and it will officially be 21 days exactly at about 9 tonight. Not sure if that matters or not lol


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Good luck! What brand of incubator is it?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Deluxe incubator. And thank you  I have two super excited kids right now. I hope at least one more hatches. Will take care of some fights


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

How's your hatch?


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Just the one chick :/ one egg moved but it never did anything. I'm going to take them out this evening and see what's up with the eggs. The lady I got the eggs from I guess the chickens had cocci so was trying to treat them with corid but they can sneak water from the goats so not sure if that was a issue or not.
Another lady has these frizzle Polish silkie eggs for sale but I'm not sure if I should buy them since they are $40 a dozen. My daughter wants those chicks but if they don't hatch


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

that's too bad. I'm not sure what the problem may have been. The people on backyard chickens forum are very helpful with questions like that. I think it would be best to get an idea of what went wrong before purchasing the pricey eggs. Keep us updated. Good luck


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

Are you getting them shipped or are they local? Sometimes shipped eggs can get a bit scrambled, and have issues with the air sac being in the wrong place.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I'll inspect the eggs (need a icon for a green sick face) and see if any of them even started. I'm 99% sure that the one egg moved and 89% lol sure the kids didn't touch it
I got them locally. What it was was I disbudded a kid for a lady and I wouldn't of her pay me. She gave me a rooster and we got to talking about how I have a incubator and she gave me 12 eggs. I'm not sure how long they had been out there or what not, but I do remember it was hot as heck and I had to drive a hour to get home. The eggs were in the back of my SUV away from the AC so maybe I baked them but then they sat for a good 24 hours in the cool house. So I'm not really sure if that would cause a problem or not. I just feel bad for poor little loner here but it also loves snuggling with my daughter so maybe being a loner will work out well for being sweet.
I'll go to the back yard chick forum and see what I can find and join. I'm really not a chicken person but my kids are so gotta suck it up


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

They have a really good guide on there called Hatching 101, I'm also a resident of that forum, I'll have to watch for you.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok as soon as I figure out what this big fat prego is doing I'll sign up. The kids really enjoyed the incubator and are tickled over just one chick lol so I'll support them in their adventures


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

It is addicting, so far I've been able to resist for this year. Holding out for peafowl....


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Oh things happen for a reason!
So I had a doe kid, had to wait and watch her and get her stall ready and moved her, water and fed her then decided I'm not making dinner. Went out and just came home to chirping!! Do you know how sick to my stomach I would have been if I cracked that egg open! It is now exactly to the hour 23 days! Maybe I should put my inspecting off for a few days lol


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## billiejw89 (May 7, 2014)

Oh good! Give it some time. Good luck, hope your lone chick has a friend soon!


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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