Water dish in incubator!

Do you need to have a water dish in the bottom of the incubator to keep humidity up?

I keep a deli cup filled with water in there so that when I open the egg tubs for some air exchange, the humidity of the air is up some. I live in Colorado, though, so the air here is dry. Do you have to? I don't think so. Can you? Yes.

I keep one in mine as it raises the humidity, it will be good to get a baseline humidity level and go from there.

No, you don't need to have one. some breeders use them, and if it works for them why change it? The incubator is what controls the temp, your egg box is what controls your humidity.

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Originally Posted by LGL

I keep a deli cup filled with water in there so that when I open the egg tubs for some air exchange, the humidity of the air is up some. I live in Colorado, though, so the air here is dry. Do you have to? I don't think so. Can you? Yes.

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How often do you need to open the egg box?

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Originally Posted by don15681

no, you don't need to have one. Some breeders use them, and if it works for them why change it? The incubator is what controls the temp, your egg box is what controls your humidity.

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x2

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Originally Posted by seeya205

How often do you need to open the egg box?

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You should not open the egg box at all until the last 2 weeks of incubation. Other than for your own curiosity there is no need to have it open at all unless there is a problem with the eggs. Most people use clear bins for egg boxes and you should be able to check them without opening them.


Gavin

Alot of people dont open the egg box enough in the last weeks of incubation. They do need air exchange in the last 2 to 3 weeks. I only open them long enough to look at the eggs real quick and then close it up again. I dont keep extra water in the incobator. I use hatchrite and egg grates so I can keep humidity at 100% with no extra water source.

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Originally Posted by seeya205

How often do you need to open the egg box?

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Originally Posted by Gavin Cooper

You should not open the egg box at all until the last 2 weeks of incubation. Other than for your own curiosity there is no need to have it open at all unless there is a problem with the eggs. Most people use clear bins for egg boxes and you should be able to check them without opening them.


Gavin

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I seal my egg tubs with Glad Press 'N Seal, so I open each egg tub about once a week to allow a little air exchange and to wipe off any condensation that's on the Press 'N Seal. I usually try and tilt the egg box a little by placing something underneath it on one end so that most of the condensation runs down the side of the tub and not onto the eggs, but there tends to be a little bit that doesn't run down the side.

Thanks everyone for all the info! It helped alot!

Quick question for you all, humidity in the incubator is supposed to be what %?

i cheat i placed a wet towel right on the flexwatt that runs a long the bottom and it shoots my humidity way up there to the point i got condisation running down the glass and all.

im not sure if id wunna put something wet directly on flexwatt, seems like there might be a bit too much room for error. i keep 2 kitty litter pans full of water in the bottom of mine, the flexwatt is under them so it produces humidity and acts like a nice big heat sink thats quite even, temps stay within 1degree at all times