Hatching Banty Eggs-Humidity and Timing

[CraziChknLady]

I've always heard Banty eggs can hatch at day 18 or 19 instead of the regular 21 for standard breeds. Is this true?

I've also read that certain breeds like Silkes need a higher humidity than other breeds, but the area you live can also have you make adjustments.

This will be my first hatch. I'm looking for some advice and ideas. I have a Mille Fleur OEGB and some Mille Fleur D'Uccles along with some barnyard mixes.
I appreciate any info.

 

[WVduckchick]

I have both of those breeds and I'm pretty sure the d'uccles consistently hatch on day 20-21. OEGB do seem to hatch more around 19-20, as my seramas do too. Pips may start late day-18, but I don't normally see them hatch that early.
If you run your temps a little on the high side, they will hatch a little earlier.

 

[CraziChknLady]

I have both of those breeds and I'm pretty sure the d'uccles consistently hatch on day 20-21. OEGB do seem to hatch more around 19-20, as my seramas do too. Pips may start late day-18, but I don't normally see them hatch that early.
If you run your temps a little on the high side, they will hatch a little earlier.

Thank you so much! My temp is automatically set on the incubator for 100 degrees. What about the humidity? Is there a good percentage range it needs to be at? I've read that the humidity needs to be raised at lockdown.

 

[Yardmom]

Make sure you double check the temperature that your incubator says vs. the actual temperature at the top of the eggs. Humidity has a bit more flexible. I have seen suggestions between 30-55 before lock down. The eggs should loose moisture. I dry hatch in a fairly humid environment. For lockdown humidity should be raised to 60-70.
For eggs that have a potential to hatch in less than 21 days lockdown a couple days early.

 

[CraziChknLady]

Make sure you double check the temperature that your incubator says vs. the actual temperature at the top of the eggs. Humidity has a bit more flexible. I have seen suggestions between 30-55 before lock down. The eggs should loose moisture. I dry hatch in a fairly humid environment. For lockdown humidity should be raised to 60-70.
For eggs that have a potential to hatch in less than 21 days lockdown a couple days early.

Thanks!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I've always heard Banty eggs can hatch at day 18 or 19 instead of the regular 21 for standard breeds. Is this true?

Of course it is true, they CAN. Or they CAN hatch on day 20, 21, 22, or 23. My full-sized fowl eggs often hatch a couple of days early, hardly ever late. But others regularly have eggs of all sizes that that hatch late.

There area lot of things that can affect when the eggs actually hatch. A big one is average incubating temperature. But humidity, heredity, and just differences in the eggs can have an effect.

I've also read that certain breeds like Silkes need a higher humidity than other breeds, but the area you live can also have you make adjustments.

Yes you read all kinds of stuff on this forum, it is part of the internet. Some of it is actually true, at least sometimes. In my opinion, all of us have different incubators and conditions. Different things work better for different ones of us even with the same breeds.

I suggest you pick a specific humidity and try it. Decide what your parameters will be and stick to them throughout incubation. I don't care if you try 30% or 50%, you will find people on here that will support either or something else. If your incubator recommends something specific that's where I'd start but you may want something different. I personally like a minimum of 65% for lockdown with higher being OK. Others have other opinions.

If you don't stick to something specific (whatever it is) how can you analyze your results? After a hatch I open the unhatched eggs and try to determine what went wrong. See if I need to maybe adjust my incubating humidity. For my first hatch I used 45% humidity, which is what my incubator instructions recommended. After a few hatches I decided 40% worked well for me with my incubator and in my conditions. I have no idea what would be best for you.

Good luck!