Egg Weight and Humidity Question

[VintageLilFarm]

For the first week of the hatch, I did what I have done in the past, which is to put a small round dish of water in the incubator (the type you use for soya sauce when eating sushi) and I added a damp sponge for a day because my humidity read like it was too low ( I write everything down and somehow did not get that written down and can't recall, but I think about 20% or so?). I was interacting with the breeder I have bought Marans from multiple times, and who I bought eggs from this time. He suggested going "dry" until lockdown, so I did that a week ago. I have not had water in the incubator at all since last Saturday. Today I weighed my eggs and, though I forgot to use grams (will do tomorrow), I do have a comparison in ounces, and most of the eggs look like they have not lost much at all. I am perplexed because they had very little surface of water to start with, did not show a lot of humidity on the humidity reading, and even now says only 26%. I cannot cut back humidity when I don't have any water in there as it is. I did remove the second red plug in the top of the incubator a bit ago. I don't know if this will help, and am also concerned that it will make the temp fluctuate.

Any words of insight or advice? Thanks!

Other notes that may help (?)
- The weights I used just before I put them in the incubator I did in ounces first, then realized grams would be easier so did those too. So I have both for comparison sake.
- We are almost halfway through Day 15, Lockdown in a few days and Hatch Day should be Saturday
- I have multiple breeds in the incubator and several different sized eggs
- I have several eggs I am pretty sure are not fertile, but cannot see conclusively enough to destroy them. The Olive Eggers are far worse than the BCMs! Cannot see a single thing, completely opaque! I do have a second incubator and am thinking about putting the "Unlikelies" in that one? Does that have any effect on humidity?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Sorry, I will come back and read again and then get you some more detailed information when I'm not in hurry mode...

But quickly... Dry incubation doesn't mean NO water... unless that's what you need to achieve your goal.

Completely dry in my bator is 31-37% right now. I incubate FBCM eggs and all others... staying between 35-45% (it goes up to 52% and drops back down, I let it run at the lowest point for several hours to a day depending on how long it stayed in 50 range). 60-65% for lock down.

I get very good hatches, including 5 out of 5 FBCM just yesterday!

 

[VintageLilFarm]

Sorry, I will come back and read again and then get you some more detailed information when I'm not in hurry mode...

But quickly... Dry incubation doesn't mean NO water... unless that's what you need to achieve your goal.

Completely dry in my bator is 31-37% right now. I incubate FBCM eggs and all others... staying between 35-45% (it goes up to 52% and drops back down, I let it run at the lowest point for several hours to a day depending on how long it stayed in 50 range). 60-65% for lock down.

I get very good hatches, including 5 out of 5 FBCM just yesterday!

Yayyy! 5 out of 5! Yes, my hygrometer reads there is still about that much humidity. I am perplexed about what to do because, going by weight, some eggs are on track. But others look like they need less humidity. I have read to provide more ventilation, but that also affects the temp. Here we are, two days from Lockdown, and I need to figure out what to do!

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Ugh... I just accidentally deleted a good detailed post and have to start over.

Anyways, I run all my hatches the same as stated above, including Silkies, Marans, Rocks and so on... even at the same time with different egg sizes. I don't candle or weigh for air cells but only for life... and fun. I also can't see into my blue eggs much worse than my Marans eggs (which are good color). It can help to go into as dark a place as possible for those hard to see through ones. It's pretty cool to see the veins and development, especially movement and the eyes (in the lighter eggs)! In the harder to candle eggs... I can only tell if it's really dark or kinda blank. Maybe comparing some that haven't incubated at all can give you a clue. If they aren't pretty dark they don't go into lock down for me. It takes practice and candling has a huge learning curve. I have accidentally aborted a fetus, earlier in incubation before!

One thing regarding on track or not... are you rotating your eggs to a new location in the bator daily? I have found this to be VERY key, even in my forced air bator... as temps simply aren't the same everywhere (and to that, neither is humidity). If I don't rotate I get early and late pippers. When I rotate I get tight hatches usually within 12 hours first to last and on day 21 (regardless of bantam despite much misinformation that's out there). Also, you may be surprised at just how much the air cell will still draw down over the next few days! I sure was. After tracing my air cells just before hatch, so many pipped way below that with no drowning and no blood vessels caught.

I start with my vent unplugged from day 1. Higher humidity with it plugged can help to get more even heating in the very beginning. But I like having more oxygen and not having to fuss with adjusting temp or humidity later when my eggs are already nicely developing. Having the vent open doesn't make for more fluctuation once you've got it set, maybe only when you first unplug it. I also wrap blankets or old clothes around the outside of my styro bator making sure not to plug top or bottom vent holes, because I couldn't get it up to temp since my house only hits about 60 degrees. But since I got that hint... I've never looked back!

Also note I live in the PNW where ambient humidity is HIGH. Hey, I see that's where you are to! That only effects how much water you have to add (or not) to achieve your desired level inside the bator... and not your actual incubation, which can vary by season. Running a dehumidifier in your home could drop your humidity in your incubator... but I SERIOUSLY don't think you need to.

If you were running too high in the beginning than much lower would be preferred to make up for it. However 26% is nice and low in my experience! That is where I did my first Marans, but since then 35-45% has been sufficient with 60-65% at lock down... which I don't usually achieve to early on day 18. Since I use an incubator and a hatcher... sometimes it takes all of day 18 to get my humidity right, and It's completely OK that it isn't instantly 60% at a specific time of that day. I have the hardest time keeping it correct for all of lock down. And use a straw and baby medication syringe to add water through a top hole as needed on top of my paper towels or whatever I am using. Many use fish air line tubes. I don't use my wells, because I run continuous rolling hatches and easier for me to clean out or dispose of my tin foil boats... which I have to make sure are blocked well enough the chicks can't get to them since they are above the screen. Lining the bator with (rough for non slip) paper towels (some use rubber shelf liner type stuff), saves a LOT of cleaning hassle!

I might consider weighing the eggs as a group so you get overall weight loss instead of individual. Weighing seemed to be the easiest way to know the truth instead of having to judge air pocket size. A solid number leaves less room for doubt than what kind of tricks can my eyes and mind play on me.

I personally would just put my unknowns in the same bator if they pass the sniff test and don't smell rotten and look nice and dark inside. But you can try separate if it makes you feel better. But if there is say one in there, it won't have the others to click and peep to encourage hatch to begin.. since they coordinate by doing that is my understanding. One of those tough decisions!

I wouldn't worry about trying to get lower than 26%. And actually start to worry if it's that low for too long. White eggs will lose moisture more quickly than dark ones... and yes the eggs do add to the humidity inside the bator. I always see a *slight* increase when I add eggs (maybe 2%).

If I missed anything or you have more questions... please feel free to pick my brain! I just love the opportunity to review my information and to share my passion (and success) with others.

Happy hatching!

 

[VintageLilFarm]

Thank you! Great ideas! I think I will aim to let the humidity just be whatever it is until day 18, then will do 60% for Lockdown and Hatch. I love the idea of adding water with syringe and straw, so will get that prepared.

I'm getting brooder set up started today, and crossing things off my list. Again, using my own eggs wasn't so anxiety inducing, lol. Buying eggs and having them shipped definitely adds a different dimension!