Basement Incubating, humidity too high?

[Old McRonald]

I got 5 pullets of my own so I will be hatching my own this year so no shipping. Got 6 roosters so eggs should be fertile lol. Will only be keeping 2 however. So if anyone needs a rooster or two?

 

[Mosey2003]

You also need to consider bacteria when using others' eggs. I agree 1 in 5 is too many, but it didn't sound like you meant it was that high in the last hatch you tried. Ooops.

Be very interested to see what you get with your own eggs. Personally, I would never go as low as 20%. I stick to the university recommended 50-55%.

 

[Old McRonald]

Incubating eggs below 20% is not good. That is the range of death during incubation.

Like Chicken canoe said, the issue with sticky chicks is more likely from shipping stress. When and egg is damaged, it takes energy to heal and that energy is taken away from proper development.

You already are doing very well with temps and humidity calibration so to get better hatches with shipped eggs:

1. Do not do a rest without incubation before putting them into the incubator. Either hand turn them or do not turn them for a day.
2. Use humidity of 30 to 35%. Do not go over 60% or below 25%. 65 to 70% during lockdown.
3. from day 8 to 18, use a cool down cycle

Try this for the next hatch and see if things go better

When I got to 20% I did add 2 Tbsp of water. Also I was weighing eggs to avoid excessive moisture loss, actually could have been a little more moisture loss and would have been at ideal weight. Not planning on getting any shipped eggs this year as I should be able to hatch my own! Hopefully this also helps.

 

[ronott1]

I got 5 pullets of my own so I will be hatching my own this year so no shipping. Got 6 roosters so eggs should be fertile lol. Will only be keeping 2 however. So if anyone needs a rooster or two?View attachment 1639351

They look great!

Happy hatching!

 

[Old McRonald]

They look great!

Happy hatching!

Thanks! These are such easygoing birds.

 

[aart]

I got 5 pullets of my own so I will be hatching my own this year so no shipping. Got 6 roosters so eggs should be fertile lol. Will only be keeping 2 however. So if anyone needs a rooster or two?

Hatchers eat a lot of Rooster-n-Noodles.