Humididty for chicken eggs

[Nathanya]

I have incubated eggs a couple of times now and have kept humidity around 50-55%. I have heard many things on-line saying that that percent is to high and then others saying it is to low. I am going to be setting a new batch of eggs and i plan on putting the humidity at 50-55% again unless any body else has some use full information on what percent i should set it at?

 

[HEChicken]

The goal during incubation is for the egg to lose approximately 15% of its starting weight. You can gauge this by keeping an eye on the air cell (should grow throughout incubation), or by weighing the egg before setting, and at 7, 14 & 18 days.

Typically incubating for the first 18 days between 35-40% humidity and increasing to 65-75% for lockdown, will accomplish this weight loss/air cell growth. However much depends on your own climatic conditions, what incubator you are using etc etc. Sometimes you just have to find what works for you and stick with it.

 

[Nathanya]

Ok thanks I think I will try to keep it at 50-55% then since that has worked in the past as long as that isn't to highl then it probably will be fine.

 

[Goblnfvr]

I also have kept my humidity between 35/40% during incubation and raise it to 60-65%.
I find this lock down humidity to work well because when the eggs start hatching the humidity always jumps up to around 75% while the chick is drying.

I have a homemade cooler incubator and have had excellent hatches from it with these settings.