Chick hatched at low humidity

[Hennypen]

I honestly didn't think these eggs were any good so forgot they were due this week. I got home and found one chick out of the shell. Perfectly clean hatch, beautiful shell left, and another one is pipping. The humidity is at 50%. Last years hatches i raised the humidity to 70% and the hatches weren't clean and some chicks had a little bloody umbilicus. This chick came out perfect. Did I just luck out or is there something to this?


"bad egg" no. 2 is now pipping!! (at the same low humidity) Sure glad I left them in the incubator!!! These are bright blue eggs and I couldn't see through them at day 10 so left them in. lol

 

[silkiechicken]

There are 15 billion best ways and ways you "have" to hatch chicks. What you did could be called dry hatching. Net water loss from the egg is the determining factor for a good hatch. Be your humidity need to sit at 50 all the way, or 75 all the way, the egg needs to lose about 10% of it's weight.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

It has to do with how much moisture is in the egg at hatch time.

 

[mrslb333]

I found the same so I don't up the humidity anymore I also have a higher hatch rate since doing it. Maybe it depends on the climate you live in my humidity stays at around 50% with no added water

 

[Hennypen]

Good to know!!! I think I just lucked out. LOL Some days I'd let it go dry and the humidity would be 20% so I'd raise it up and then I forgot... I really didn't think these first eggs would be fertile.

 

[allcrackedup]

is your bator forced air ..

 

[Hennypen]

Based on all the warnings abotu not opening the bator and keeping the humidity up, I'm surprised it didn't get shrink wrapped when it pipped.

 

[Hennypen]

Quote:
Yes does that help?

 

[allcrackedup]

no i would assume forced air and low humidity would get them stuck to the shell ...

 

[al6517]

Lower humidity levels are know as the dry hatch method, I maintain 30-35% humidity day 1-18 then only go to 50% till hatch time, plus when the begin to hatch the humidity rises naturaly because ogf the moisture from the hatching chicks. It works out for me, but in My Homemade cabinet incubator opening during what people refer to lockdown is a non issue and it never bothers the eggs or the humidity level never drops more than 2%.

AL