Experts, can we talk humidity and general hatching rate improvement?

[muddipuppy]

So, what humidity are all of you running your bators at?

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Mine is dry for the first 18 days. No humidity gauge or water added at all. Would guess around 20%.

Around 70% the last 3 days

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

so how does a hen sitting on eggs "up" the humidity the last three days?

 

[Noncentzter]

On the Oregon coast, my humidity goes from a high of 80% (winter) to a low of 35% (summer)...How does the local humidity level effect the humidity level in the incubator? Do I need to make any adjustments for this?

 

[Glitterik]

I live in Houston, and the humidity here is high year-round. I think there's nothing special to do if you live with high humidity, except be thankful. I've been trying to use a Hovabator (the kind with the wafer). I started with 10 eggs and was kind of all over the place with the humidity - started at 45-50 and let it get dryer - down to 25, then upped it to 75 on day 20. (Yeah, yikes!) Yesterday I had 2 hatch, and today one more plus one pipped egg. I hope more chicks hatch as these are blue Marans, an expensive experimental hatch, but next time I am using a Genesis and keeping this incubator for a short-term brooder. The woman who sold me the eggs hatches dozens of eggs a month and told me to keep a towel on top of the incubator to hold humidity in.

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

If anybody's interested, my method is detailed on my blahg at http://amazingchickens.blogspot.com

I focus on getting the eggs to achieve a 12-14% weight loss and I used the humidity as a tool to achieve that target weight loss. The average humidity required has changed as I've moved, but I weigh often and adjust accordingly.

 

[Chipper]

There is a very good 31 page discussion on this very topic here on BYC.Lots of information and I think it will answer many of the questions you may have.It's really worth checking out.
This is the link to it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=113681