Help What is the best humidity during Lockdown?

[Linda Dee]

I am inexperienced at hatching eggs.
I am going into lockdown in a little while and I have been reading for 2 weeks. Unfortunately everyone has a different opinion. I was so confused when I started out I started out with what my manufacturer said to put the incubator on during incubation. I have a Harris Farms Nurture Right 360. Anyway within the first couple of days I'm reading from colleges and from people who have used the nurture right I finally decided to go with a modified dry hatch so at first I had it down to 30% then had I put it down to 25 to 20% and then I checked the egg on day 12. It appeared to me that the eggs had not evaporated much so I took it on down and I've been keeping it at 18% since then. But today I have to go into lockdown. Some people say 55%, some people say 65%, some say 70% and some say if you get it too high to begin with once the eggs start hatching, the humidity goes up and they can drown. There are too many opinions and not enough facts.
I need facts. HELP!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Yes, so many thoughts and ideas about incubation and hatching. I keep my humidity between 25 and 35% during incubation and increase to 60% and up for lockdown. If your air cells look good at lockdown, just go ahead and add the water to the second channel in the NR360 (I use this as well as a Brinsea Maxi II). Don't worry, high humidity this late in incubation will be fine and allow the littles to hatch easily once they pip.
Good luck!

 

[Linda Dee]

Yes, so many thoughts and ideas about incubation and hatching. I keep my humidity between 25 and 35% during incubation and increase to 60% and up for lockdown. If your air cells look good at lockdown, just go ahead and add the water to the second channel in the NR360 (I use this as well as a Brinsea Maxi II). Don't worry, high humidity this late in incubation will be fine and allow the littles to hatch easily once they pip.
Good luck!

Thank you so much. That makes since to me. I like knowing that you have used NR 360.
So I guess I will go with 65%.?.?.?...
if the air cell looks adequate.

 

[Linda Dee]

I am as nervous as an expectant grandmother in waiting!

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Thank you so much. That makes since to me. I like knowing that you have used NR 360.
So I guess I will go with 65%.?.?.?

Just add water to the channel and it’ll be the humidity it’ll be! Humidity is a tool in incubation and secondary to an accurate temperature. Post photos when the Chickies hatch. I have some on lockdown right now that are due to hatch on Saturday!

 

[MysteryChicken]

Is your incubator a still air, or Forced Air incubator?

I always use 35% - 45% humidity before lockdown, & boost the humidity to 55% - 65% humidity during lockdown.

 

[Linda Dee]

It is a Nuturer 360. Forced air.
I has been easy to maintain the temperature and it is pretty steady when I aim for a certain humidity.
I was just not sure what the humidity should be. I knew I couldn't go with the manufacturer's recommendations.
I read last week where a gentleman said to manage the humidity in your room and it will be easier to manage the humidity in the incubator, so I put my little humidifier I use when the grandkids come if they have the stuffy head and sat it like 3 ft from the incubator and it did help when I was trying to hold it between 18% and 20% it really helped to have that going I didn't have to keep adding water and then do you know trying to make sure I didn't put too much in. I put like a 1/2 teaspoon in and then turn the humidifier on low if I needed to increase the humidity enough, I would put the humidifier on high. That is what I am going to do when I put the incubator in lockown. It just seems to help keep the humidity stable.
Thanks everyone for your input.
I have to candle me some eggs and remove the egg turner, start raising the humidity and off we go.....!
Pictures forth coming...

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I am inexperienced at hatching eggs.
I am going into lockdown in a little while and I have been reading for 2 weeks. Unfortunately everyone has a different opinion. I was so confused when I started out I started out with what my manufacturer said to put the incubator on during incubation. I have a Harris Farms Nurture Right 360. Anyway within the first couple of days I'm reading from colleges and from people who have used the nurture right I finally decided to go with a modified dry hatch so at first I had it down to 30% then had I put it down to 25 to 20% and then I checked the egg on day 12. It appeared to me that the eggs had not evaporated much so I took it on down and I've been keeping it at 18% since then. But today I have to go into lockdown. Some people say 55%, some people say 65%, some say 70%

Hi there and welcome to hurry up and wait!

Fact is.. nature don't care about rules.. and all we have is guidelines.. which no matter how hard we try to screw things up.. Life still finds a way!

I have the 360. It's eh, not the bator for me (have it for sale now), but I'm familiar with it.

The suggested humidity used during incubation might vary according to the color of egg shell.. darker the egg the less evaporation (gas exchange) takes place. Very dark Marans or blue eggs.. can use a drier incubation than white eggs to achieve the same basic goal. High altitude can also be a factor. Keep all vents open all the time.. closing the vent down MIGHT increase humidity.. but it also decreases air flow/oxygen exchange.. which is LESS crucial VERY early on.. but why mess with it later.. so vent open.

With the humidity as low as you describe.. you might consider using weight instead of visual clues. I for one NEVER put ANY calibrated thermometer/hygrometer into my 360.. and just went with the reading it displays.. hatches SO far are on day 21 at factory preset. I always used multiple devices in my other bators AND with GOOD reason!

Completely DRY, humidity stayed 30% inside the 360 bator at THIS time of year HERE where ambient humidity is often very high. Fill the well A, it raises to 52%. The well B only raises another 10% to total 62% humidity.

My personal EASY target goal regardless of chicken egg color/size to get successful hatches.. is 35% humidity (30-40 ish) for incubation.. and fill all the wells to bring humidity as high as possible.. it won't go above 70% without extra wet towels, etc.. and that's plenty.. TRULY I'm NOT sure this high humidity phase is even THAT crucial.. and might be adding to shrink wrapping occasions.. So, what you've already discovered is that these are basic GUIDELINES more so than rules!

Most chicks (including bantams and large fowl) hatch day 21.. but some lines do hatch day 19, 20.. consistently withOUT incubator culpability and even under a broody. Breeders usually know their lines and may disclose it. Not super common in hatchery birds.

One of my favorite incubation resources, in case you haven't already seen it..

Incubation guide


Basically, what I can gather.. the 360 keeps parameters viable for "any dummy" to achieve success by following THEIR instruction manual that's included.. which I didn't read but will presume it said something like.. "fill the first well for the first 18 days. Then remove the the turner, fill the second well in addition to the first.. and viola!"

What breed are you incubating anyways? How full is your bator? Eggs from your flock or shipped?

I'm in lock down right now also! Rolling hatches means eggs incubating in the 360 (until the Genesis 1588 gets delivered) with hatching eggs in the Janoel 12.. Lavender and split Wyandottes & Cemani are expected to hatch Saturday!

 

[Linda Dee]

Hi there and welcome to hurry up and wait!

Fact is.. nature don't care about rules.. and all we have is guidelines.. which no matter how hard we try to screw things up.. Life still finds a way!

I have the 360. It's eh, not the bator for me (have it for sale now), but I'm familiar with it.

The suggested humidity used during incubation might vary according to the color of egg shell.. darker the egg the less evaporation (gas exchange) takes place. Very dark Marans or blue eggs.. can use a drier incubation than white eggs to achieve the same basic goal. High altitude can also be a factor. Keep all vents open all the time.. closing the vent down MIGHT increase humidity.. but it also decreases air flow/oxygen exchange.. which is LESS crucial VERY early on.. but why mess with it later.. so vent open.

With the humidity as low as you describe.. you might consider using weight instead of visual clues. I for one NEVER put ANY calibrated thermometer/hygrometer into my 360.. and just went with the reading it displays.. hatches SO far are on day 21 at factory preset. I always used multiple devices in my other bators AND with GOOD reason!

Completely DRY, humidity stayed 30% inside the 360 bator at THIS time of year HERE where ambient humidity is often very high. Fill the well A, it raises to 52%. The well B only raises another 10% to total 62% humidity.

My personal EASY target goal regardless of chicken egg color/size to get successful hatches.. is 35% humidity (30-40 ish) for incubation.. and fill all the wells to bring humidity as high as possible.. it won't go above 70% without extra wet towels, etc.. and that's plenty.. TRULY I'm NOT sure this high humidity phase is even THAT crucial.. and might be adding to shrink wrapping occasions.. So, what you've already discovered is that these are basic GUIDELINES more so than rules!

Most chicks (including bantams and large fowl) hatch day 21.. but some lines do hatch day 19, 20.. consistently withOUT incubator culpability and even under a broody. Breeders usually know their lines and may disclose it. Not super common in hatchery birds.

One of my favorite incubation resources, in case you haven't already seen it..

Incubation guide


Basically, what I can gather.. the 360 keeps parameters viable for "any dummy" to achieve success by following THEIR instruction manual that's included.. which I didn't read but will presume it said something like.. "fill the first well for the first 18 days. Then remove the the turner, fill the second well in addition to the first.. and viola!"

What breed are you incubating anyways? How full is your bator? Eggs from your flock or shipped?

I'm in lock down right now also! Rolling hatches means eggs incubating in the 360 (until the Genesis 1588 gets delivered) with hatching eggs in the Janoel 12.. Lavender and split Wyandottes & Cemani are expected to hatch Saturday!

I have an eclectic group.
He knew I wanted some variety, so he gave me a Blue Plymouth Rock, an Easter Egger, a Light Brahma, a Leghorn- Legbar mix (which lays cream colored eggs) and Black and Silver Marans (Birchens). It should be interesting.....and my first hatch too!
I did notice what you said about the dark eggs. The Msrans egg and the Easter Egger eggs did not evaporate as much as I would have liked them too. That is why I took it down to 18 to 20% for like 10 days. I will certainly way them next time. I had forgotten I have a food scale that weighs in kilograms which would have been perfect, but I didn't start out laying them so I couldn't use it later on. Lesson learned!
Again, thank you so much for your input and I'm going to save your response along with the couple others in my documents file for future reference.

 

[Jp617]

80% at lock down has always worked for me.