Hatching humidity in Hawaii?

LadiesAndJane

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Hello everyone!
I am having a dilemma about humidity. I have silkie eggs that the breeder recommended 60% humidity for the first 18 days, then increasing at lockdown. The in house humidity right now is 60%, Brinsea Maxi is running about 54%, with water added. Wondering if I should just let it run dry, as ambient humidity in the room is already 60%.
Also not sure how accurate my hygrometer is.
I also have some Marans in a different incubator that the breeder recommended "dry" hatching. Humidity in that incubator without water added is 48% (again not sure of accuracy of hygrometer)
These eggs were expensive and the little chicks are all very precious. Want to get the best hatch rate possible!
Thanks so much to anyone who has any advice. I have read through many of the threads and could not find anything specific to Hawaii.
 
How far along are the eggs? One way to judge if your humidity is correct is to weigh them initially, then monitor the eggs weight loss. Eggs need to lose about 14% of their weight between days 0-21.

Otherwise you have to keep an eye on the air cells and compare them to an air cell chart:

1588733472456.png

Humidity is a very individual thing and every set up is different. At the moment my ambient humidity is 61% but if I don't add water to my incubator the humidity in it is 25%.

This is an article explaining how to calibrate your hygrometer (and thermometer). It always pays to have an independent thermometer and not rely on the one on your incubator as they are often not accurate.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...incubator-thermometers-and-hygrometers.73634/
 
Thank you so much JaeG! The silkies were put in the incubator yesterday. The breeder had very specific instructions and apparently has great hatch rates from most of his customers (ships all over the world). The marans were purchased locally, just put them in the incubator today. They are in two different incubators due to the different requirements.
 

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