What is the ideal humidity for hatching in an incubator?

[shellikirbey]

If no room for dish put soaked sponge in

 

[shellikirbey]

I usually have one of the red plugs out on top of little giant at beginning of incubation..you may have to mess with different ways at first to see what works best..really 40 percent humidity day one to 18 for chicken eggs works good. You may b able to just put a wet sponge in it and see if it raises it ..I don't usually let my chicken eggs humidity get over 50 for incubation and then at hatch I raise it to 65..they do pretty good that way for chickens eggs

 

[shellikirbey]

At lockdown I take out other red plug on top cause theyl need more oxygen at hatch.at hatch the humidity will raise quite a bit on its own to cause ther hatching

 

[shellikirbey]

Yes you can put spinge in well or just set on side or corner not touching eggs and keep sponge wet..once it drys up humidity will go back down.if it gets to high with soaked sponge I just use damp one..youl have to try different ways like that to see what works best..your home May not have as much humidity ad mine.. Good luck!! Keep us posted

 

[terusons]

how often do you add water to the wells daily? 2x daily? It's hard to see if there is water in there.....

 

[PD-Riverman]

how do you get the humidity increase for the last 3 days? I have both plugs in and temp is at 100.0 and humidity at 39%. All 6 wells have water....I am more nervous with the new incubator the little giant 9300 with auto egg turner....than every year that i did eggs with an old 4-h incubator. thanks for all you answers.

To start with get them red plugs out. A lot of those incubators you can not go by the built-in meter---some you can not get the built in meter above 40% if you sunk it in water??? If its one of those--- the meters are not usually accurate---need to use another meter.

Humidity is controlled by water surface---not water volume. If you got all the built in slots in the bottom with water in them your humidity should be high. A drop of food coloring will help you see if there is water in the slots but its usually permanent which is no problem. In my opinion if you are into lock down you for sure do not need to be opening the incubator---add water through a vent hole into the slots. Good Luck

 

[PD-Riverman]

i just started the eggs today

I just seen this post---You just starting incubation?? For sure do not add water to all the bottom wells for the start----humidity will be to high????

Have you read your instruction that came with the incubator??

 

[shellikirbey]

Yea I have learned it doesn't need water unless your humidity is real low like under 35 or 40

 

[shellikirbey]

I have found that 40 to 50 is good for chicken eggs at day one to lockdown and then at hatch up it to 65 to 70..the humidity will up on its own usually when they start hatching..

 

[terusons]

I'm doing this at school with the new 9300 incubator I've been hatching eggs die 10 years with an old 4-h incubator and have never measured the humidity. I've had very good luck but this new one is Sri in me crazy cus temps aren't accurate nor is humidity readings just hopebuts successful. Thanks for all the support