Aaaarrrgghhhhh Humidity!!!!!

[duckking]

Now that I have your attention.....

Is there ANY definitive guide to how high the humidity needs to be during incubation????? Everyone seems to agree about lockdown/hatching, but I have read all the posts in here, I swear.....and every book on chickens I can find, including Storey's and NO ONE seems to agree!!!!

I put together a list:

Don't let it drop below 20%
20-30%
30-40%
40-50% - this is what Brinsea recommends - but they say to chart the weight loss
55-60% - Can't remember who this came from, but seems high in my noobie opinion.

Storey is non-committal and seems to suggest you go through the expected weight loss and size of air sac procedures, but I would sure like to know prior to 7 days if I am messing up.

Being a scientific kind of person...is there NO correct answer? Do I have to wallow in uncertainty for 21 days? I might just have to take to drinking!!!

Now that I have that off my chest....I am keeping mine around 45% and checking it constantly......off I go for the 100th check this AM.

 

[Badbaby05]

I so hear you on the humidity ordeal

I'm in the same boat as you. No one can agree on it. I have mine at 40 to 50%, I will raise it to 60% for lockdown and then pray I did it right

 

[Tuffoldhen]

There is a set standard that most follow but you have to remember not everyones house/climate/region is the same. That means you have to find a range that works best for you. I use 40% humidity nothing higher, sometimes lower for the first 18 days of incubation. Just depends on my weather. WV has a high humidity climate here where I live. The last 3 days of incubation I use nothing higher than 70% range. When the chicks start hatching out they bump the humidity levels anyway.

These are the norms for hatching unless your incubator says different. You just have to hatch for awhile to find the correct range that gives you the best results.

Normal ranges 40 to 50% first 18 days
Last 3 of incubation 65% to 70%

 

[Emilys3guppies]

May I ask why climate makes a difference? 40% humidity is 40% humidity whether your regional climate is humid or not, right?

 

[storminstaffs]

I have mine at 40% for the 18 days and 65% + for lockdown

 

[pete55]

I would follow the Brinsea guidelines and it is good practice to monitor weight loss to achieve 13-15% total loss overall. If you plot as a graph you can adjust the humidity accordingly

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Quote:
I cover that at the bottom of this page. http://cmfarm.us/ventilation.html
The whole page is on why no one agrees what is the right humidity.

 

[duckking]

Quote:
I would say the same thing....I mean if it's 40% RH in the incubator then that's what it is, even if it's 70% in the room it's in......or 20%. But I have heard this comment often....that if you live in a dry/humid climate you have to adjust accordingly. I am thinking they mean you have to adjust the amount of water surface to achieve the 40%RH. Is that what it means? We live in a relatively humid climate, the Pacific Northwest, and I find that it takes literally.....and I mean literally, 2 drops of water in one well to maintain the 45% in the incubator. Any more than that and it soars. If I leave it dry, the humidity falls to about 34% and just stays there.

I guess I should read your article....

 

[Tuffoldhen]

My climate humidity inside or outside the house has an effect on my hatches. There are vent holes/air holes in my bator for a reason. Some people have to add a humidifier in the room to help hatching humidity.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Quote:
I agree here. Temp also effect my bator as well.

I have a thought, if someone has a broody hen on some eggs and would like to help out. A chicken's body temp is 102-103 degrees, add eggs and she will generate her own humidity. If someone could place a hygrometer, that has been tested for accuracy of course, in her nest and let us know how much humidty she is generating and the temp/humidity of the outside air would be great. I myself would love to know, especially since what we are trying to do is replicate mother nature, but I have never had a broody hen.

Any takers