Humidity Dropping

[CeeJay]

I am not sure if the probe in my egg box is now not working properly but the humidity is dropping rapidly. A few days ago it was 95%. Friday it dipped into the mid 80s. Today it hit 75%. Everything was fine up until Monday. That was day 50. I removed the press n seal. That's it nothing has changed.

I am day day 57. Does this mean that the eggs are creating more heat thus making the humidity lower?

I added a sheet of press n seal and misted it to help keep the humidity up. I have also added water to the sides but it hasn't seemed to help. I just hope they hatch soon so I can worry about something else.

[SnakeGirl3]

If they are at day 57, I wouldn't worry too much about the humidity. At this point, the eggs need oxygen more so than moisture. I use hova bators for incubation, and they don't hold humidity very well. I typically have to add water about once/week during incubation, but the last two weeks of incubation, I don't worry about it anymore. Once the eggs begin their pre-hatch dimpling, the shells weaken so as to allow more oxygen into the egg (and also because the babies are drawing calcium from the shells) . . . oxygen is their biggest need at this point rather than moisture.

[CeeJay]

That's reassuring. Thanks. I am sure that my box isn't completely air tight. Do you recommend drilling holes in the lid to the egg box? Its a 6qrt with a lid that latches on both sides.

[SnakeGirl3]

You could do that, but then if you use it again for future clutches, you'd have to tape over those openings until close to hatch time. You can also just open the lid every day for about 1 minute . . . that will allow for some air exchange and let oxygen into the eggs.

[CeeJay]

Oh ok. That's what I have been doing since day 50. I'll keep that routine going then.

[don15681]

I use 6 qt tub with press n seal. all I do is about 2 weeks before they pip, I peel back a corner of the press n seal just slightly, making a very small air hole. then I push the sticky press n seal that I peeled back to the rest of the press n seal so it doesn't move a fall across the opening.

and once they start to pip, I replace the press n seal with the lid that has a couple air holes in it, so once they come out of the egg, they don't escape.