Dry incubation vs. humidity

[MountainChickenMama]

I know there are a lot controversy in dry vs. humidity, but I am setting eggs tonight, the temperature is perfect but the humidity is 16%, should I fill the troughs to get humidity up or leave as is....Thanks in advance....

 

[A.T. Hagan]

I would. 16% is much too low.

 

[Axle Quails]

Yeh put water in their - because they will have trouble growing

 

[ChooksChick]

Take a look at my cheat sheet in my signature or on my BYC page. Also, there was a lot of discussion about this in the beginning of April on Mahonri's Easter Hatchalong.

I would leave 16% alone, or certainly leave it below 25%.

Good luck!

 

[SarahIrl]

Choockschick - finally got around to reading your cheat sheet - although I have a forced air plastic based incubator and the eggs remain on the floor all the time (it moves the floor to roll the eggs in the slats) so little of it is of use to me. I'm too terrified of trying a dry hatch though as my incubator room (the kitchen) stays fairly dry with the windows open if it's warm enough or the soild fuel fire lit if it's not. So, I aim for 50% give or take from start to finish. I get good hatches with chickens eggs with this. Have you ever measured OUTSIDE the incubator humidity to relate to inside it? Dry hatches surely only work if you have fairly humid air naturally?

 

[Threecritters]

I have two hygrometers in my bator and both read consistently between 20-30% for the entire incubation until lockdown, when I add water and get it to 65% or so. I might add a little water at 16% but I wouldn't be overly concerned. I've always had good air cell development but haven't had issues with too much too fast. If you're worried, keep an eye on the air cells by candling every few days. Hope that helps

 

[Terri O]

On my last hatch I had much better results with leaving the humidity around 20% until lockdown. On the one before that I kept it at a higher humidity and the aircells seemed too small and the hatch was not as good. Terri O

 

[HBuehler]

16 I would just watch..no lower but never above 25% until lockdown when I bump to about 45-50% Our hatch rates are always near perfect doing it that way..unless my cat gets in the room where the bator's are and bumps the heat up for me or the power goes out while I'm not at home

 

[MountainChickenMama]

So, it looks to me like everyone so far is saying to leave it be, yes? It is at 20% right now.....

 

[A.T. Hagan]

You won't get consensus on this because there isn't any.

There are those who favor a really low humidity and those who favor a higher one. Both can and often do get good hatch rates.

Google "incubating chicken eggs" (no quote marks) and you'll find plenty of info.