calling on the experts on HUMDITY

[chicks4fun]

Many people will recommend using the air cell size chart. I have never seen this chart. I have never went by the chart either.

I recommend using

20-35% humidity the first 18 DAYS

The last 3 DAYS the humidity should be above 70%

This should only be used for chicken eggs in my experience. I haven't used this with other birds, but I have had GREAT success with this method.

I also recommend getting a spray bottle. I keep it handy for when the eggs start to pip, and when they do, I will start misting them. They will probably get misted about 5 times a day.

----is this considered a "dry" hatch method??? I know there is always some humidity.

As you can see the information swings back and forward. I realized that the area you live in can affect the need to higher/lower humidity but this is still very confusing.
I read somewhere that smaller breed eggs need a different humidity than larger breeds. Also I heard about misting duck eggs and never thought about misting chicken eggs. I think it will be harder to keep humidity up at the end and maybe that will help. One thing it seems most agree on is high humidity the last 3 days.
Thanks for sharing. . . . .

 

[quintinp]

----is this considered a "dry" hatch method??? I know there is always some humidity.

As you can see the information swings back and forward. I realized that the area you live in can affect the need to higher/lower humidity but this is still very confusing.
I read somewhere that smaller breed eggs need a different humidity than larger breeds. Also I heard about misting duck eggs and never thought about misting chicken eggs. I think it will be harder to keep humidity up at the end and maybe that will help. One thing it seems most agree on is high humidity the last 3 days.
Thanks for sharing. . . . .

This is considered the "Dry Incubation" method. I have used it lots of times with great luck. You don't need to worry about your area in the country as long as you have an accurate hygrometer. This method is called the "Dry Incubation" method, but in certain parts of the country you do have to add water. If I were to NOT add any water, I would have 10% humidity. In other areas, if you don't add water, you can still have 40% humidity. If it is, DONT Worry, 40% humidity is fine too. I have always liked the 30% humidity ever since I started "Dry Incubating."

Yes, quail eggs should most likely be kept around 40-45% and no less. As for duck eggs, I was told that ALL water fowl required about 50% the first 18 days.

The misting helps for those that hatch slowly, and when you have to take an egg out to assist, it is best to mist the eggs after you take the egg out, and when you return the wet chick back into the incubator.

As for keeping the humidity up the last 3 days, I recommend getting a Pie Pan, or a dish with a lot of surface area, and using it for your humidity pan.

The more surface area of the water, the higher the humidity.

 

[hamblen1997]

50 to 60 first 18 days

 

[hamblen1997]

50 to60 first 18 days

 

[Cats Cradle]

If you understand the purpose of humidity during incubation it solves much of the confusion.

The purpose of humidity days 1-18 is to control the weight loss of the egg. If your humidity is too high, the eggs will not loose enough weight which yields big chicks that have difficulty hatching or excees liquid in the egg which can cause drowning. If your humidity is too low, the eggs will loose too much weight which yields small, weak chicks. There are tons of variables that determine how fast the eggs will loose weight including things individual to the egg like how porous the shell is. I also believe there is room for a fair margin of error, otherwise hatching would be way more difficult, so close is probably good enough in most cases.

Humidity during hatching is a different story. Then your purpose is to keep the membranes moist so the chick doesn't get stuck.

Probably the easiest thing to do is pick some middle of the road numbers and try a test hatch. You will learn tons from your first hatch! Or, if you like to approach things scientifically get yourself a gram scale and weigh your eggs. Or watch the growth of the air cells by candling. Over time you will find out what works for you!

Hope this takes some of the mystery away!

 

[chicks4fun]

Thanks for all the advice.
I am trying to digest it all and use much of it in this hatch while learning. I can't do everything but it would be nice to have two incubators and do two sets of similar eggs at the same time but with opposite ends of the spectrum. Maybe some day I can do this and post it but it won't be this year.

I will let you know how this hatch works out. I am keeping a calendar for future use. I borrowed this bator but I think I would like to try this again. As with all things chicken it is very addicting.

I candled today ---day 14--- & I am going to compare to the links with pictures. My air sacks are not all the same. For example one has clearly defined set of two air sacks on each side of the egg, one has a larger one at the small end of the egg, and another has a smaller sack. Yikes.

I got up this morning and my incubator is still a steady 99.5 --- I have two thermometers in the bator in an attempt to be safe.
The humidity settled back to 40% --- It fluctuates but I figure it may with a hen too. I watched my broodie with her hatch and she adjusts herself, moved eggs and once and a while got off the nest ---so I imagine she wasn't a perfect constant temp/humidity either.

BTW ***one egg has an air sack but seems much clearer inside than the others----is it safe to assume it's a dud?

 

[calichickies]

Chicks4fun-
Could that double airsack be a twin?? Is it a very large egg?
I'm 9 days into my first hatch so I'm learning along with you as well.
Good Luck!!

 

[chicks4fun]

Chicks4fun-
Could that double airsack be a twin?? Is it a very large egg?
I'm 9 days into my first hatch so I'm learning along with you as well.
Good Luck!!

I don't think so, but I really have no idea. They are small Mille Fleur d'uccle eggs.

Hope all these post from the more experienced folks helps others too. I just love the way everyone is willing to share their experience with us newbies.

 

[Cats Cradle]

I candled today ---day 14--- & I am going to compare to the links with pictures. My air sacks are not all the same. For example one has clearly defined set of two air sacks on each side of the egg, one has a larger one at the small end of the egg, and another has a smaller sack. Yikes.

I got up this morning and my incubator is still a steady 99.5 --- I have two thermometers in the bator in an attempt to be safe.
The humidity settled back to 40% --- It fluctuates but I figure it may with a hen too. I watched my broodie with her hatch and she adjusts herself, moved eggs and once and a while got off the nest ---so I imagine she wasn't a perfect constant temp/humidity either.

Humidity fluctuations during incubation are fine. Its really the average that counts. In fact, those that weigh eggs to monitor weight loss will then adjust the humidity if they need to increase or decrease the rate of loss.

BTW ***one egg has an air sack but seems much clearer inside than the others----is it safe to assume it's a dud?

If it is still clear by 14 days then yes, it's safe to toss it. The air sac would be there even in an infertile egg. You can even grab a store bought egg out of the fridge and find the air sac.

 

[Cats Cradle]

Quote:

Chicks4fun-
Could that double airsack be a twin?? Is it a very large egg?
I'm 9 days into my first hatch so I'm learning along with you as well.
Good Luck!!

The double air sac is caused by the membranes being loosened to the point that the air can move between them. In this case, it separated into two air bubbles. A "twin" would be a double yolker. Unfortunately as fun as it sounds to have twin chicks, I only know of one case where they hatched sucessfully.