Help What is the best humidity during Lockdown?

[EggSighted4Life]

I didn't start out laying them so I couldn't use it later on. Lesson learned!

Learning adventures keep me spry.

No two eggs will have the SAME amount of evaporation.. when working with such an eclectic group.. go in the middle.. you cannot go wrong at 35% humidity. It ain't rocket surgery. Also when using weight, weigh as a group or total.

Remember the guideline thing.. each time is a NEW challenge.. will I or won't I assist, lift the lid to remove the early hatcher that's playing soccer with others, wait for that late pipped one before lifting the lid when all others are fluffy and hatched 36 hours ago, and so on.. No matter how many "rules" I set in my head.. dealing with LIFE comes from matters of the heart.. Sometimes WE must learn our OWN limits.. and KNOW that our boundaries are active, flexible, and ever changing!

I have waited to raise humidity or stop turning until day 20.. both on accident and on purpose.. Sometimes we do things to make up for errors we realize.. or just make errors and suddenly hear chirping! I have fixed splay leg, tried and failed to fix it, and immediately culled for it. Hatching isn't for the faint of heart.. but if we're lucky more things go right than not and our focus is to celebrate new life!!

Oh ya, I just realized.. I have already dealt with 2 power outages THIS go round alone.. thankfully short.. it's always good to have a back up plan... after an extended outage I didn't know about since I wasn't home caused 50% bent toe (foot folded in half) in otherwise fantastic stock.. I'm now signed up to get outage alerts.. at least I would have been able to do something or get someone else to.. wrap blankets, make hot water bottle on the BBQ, etc.. my house is around 58-60 so temps drop quickly in the bator.

So in all my bators and the 360 is no different.. I move eggs to a new location to combat temp variations and keep my hatch frame tight.. In the 360.. that means I move the inner eggs to the outer ring and vice versa. probably more detailed than that since there's only 6 inner spaces.. yes, I'm an attention to detail over thinker much!

 

[Linda Dee]

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!

Mine are due on Sunday....
Valentines Day .

 

[Linda Dee]

Learning adventures keep me spry.

No two eggs will have the SAME amount of evaporation.. when working with such an eclectic group.. go in the middle.. you cannot go wrong at 35% humidity. It ain't rocket surgery. Also when using weight, weigh as a group or total.

Remember the guideline thing.. each time is a NEW challenge.. will I or won't I assist, lift the lid to remove the early hatcher that's playing soccer with others, wait for that late pipped one before lifting the lid when all others are fluffy and hatched 36 hours ago, and so on.. No matter how many "rules" I set in my head.. dealing with LIFE comes from matters of the heart.. Sometimes WE must learn our OWN limits.. and KNOW that our boundaries are active, flexible, and ever changing!

I have waited to raise humidity or stop turning until day 20.. both on accident and on purpose.. Sometimes we do things to make up for errors we realize.. or just make errors and suddenly hear chirping! I have fixed splay leg, tried and failed to fix it, and immediately culled for it. Hatching isn't for the faint of heart.. but if we're lucky more things go right than not and our focus is to celebrate new life!!

Oh ya, I just realized.. I have already dealt with 2 power outages THIS go round alone.. thankfully short.. it's always good to have a back up plan... after an extended outage I didn't know about since I wasn't home caused 50% bent toe (foot folded in half) in otherwise fantastic stock.. I'm now signed up to get outage alerts.. at least I would have been able to do something or get someone else to.. wrap blankets, make hot water bottle on the BBQ, etc.. my house is around 58-60 so temps drop quickly in the bator.

So in all my bators and the 360 is no different.. I move eggs to a new location to combat temp variations and keep my hatch frame tight.. In the 360.. that means I move the inner eggs to the outer ring and vice versa. probably more detailed than that since there's only 6 inner spaces.. yes, I'm an attention to detail over thinker much!

Glad to hear that because so am I.
I switched the center to the outer ring on day 10. I was in bed, trying to rest and it just bugged me, so I got out of bed, washed my hands and switched the eggs around..... Over thinker as well.

 

[Linda Dee]

Learning adventures keep me spry.

No two eggs will have the SAME amount of evaporation.. when working with such an eclectic group.. go in the middle.. you cannot go wrong at 35% humidity. It ain't rocket surgery. Also when using weight, weigh as a group or total.

Remember the guideline thing.. each time is a NEW challenge.. will I or won't I assist, lift the lid to remove the early hatcher that's playing soccer with others, wait for that late pipped one before lifting the lid when all others are fluffy and hatched 36 hours ago, and so on.. No matter how many "rules" I set in my head.. dealing with LIFE comes from matters of the heart.. Sometimes WE must learn our OWN limits.. and KNOW that our boundaries are active, flexible, and ever changing!

I have waited to raise humidity or stop turning until day 20.. both on accident and on purpose.. Sometimes we do things to make up for errors we realize.. or just make errors and suddenly hear chirping! I have fixed splay leg, tried and failed to fix it, and immediately culled for it. Hatching isn't for the faint of heart.. but if we're lucky more things go right than not and our focus is to celebrate new life!!

Oh ya, I just realized.. I have already dealt with 2 power outages THIS go round alone.. thankfully short.. it's always good to have a back up plan... after an extended outage I didn't know about since I wasn't home caused 50% bent toe (foot folded in half) in otherwise fantastic stock.. I'm now signed up to get outage alerts.. at least I would have been able to do something or get someone else to.. wrap blankets, make hot water bottle on the BBQ, etc.. my house is around 58-60 so temps drop quickly in the bator.

So in all my bators and the 360 is no different.. I move eggs to a new location to combat temp variations and keep my hatch frame tight.. In the 360.. that means I move the inner eggs to the outer ring and vice versa. probably more detailed than that since there's only 6 inner spaces.. yes, I'm an attention to detail over thinker much!

I love your take on life and the celebration of it. When the world seems to be falling apart, I still have my chickens.
I am so excited about the opportunity to get to hatch some babies, I just hope I can do them justice.
BTW, speaking of splayed legs. Should I have put something on the deck of this NR 360 to protect the chicks from splay leg?

 

[Linda Dee]

Mine are due on Sunday....
Valentines Day .

Is there any thing I should do to prevent splay leg? You have NR 360. The grid on the egg deck seems to have big holes. Have you ever found that to be a problem?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

speaking of splayed legs. Should I have put something on the deck of this NR 360 to protect the chicks from splay leg?

I am unsure really. I feel like these plastic grates are quite slippery but also have little holes for the toes to grip or get stuck & broken. I also don't like the hole in the center when the turning grid is removed. I considered leaving it in place as a sort of grip mechanism that stops the soccer game but imagined all sorts of horrifying outcomes! That's a great question, maybe start a thread about JUST that?!

I haven't seen ANY of the folks who rave about the machine mention it. I did have 2 splay legs in the machine on separate occasions.. noting BOTH were from my dear friends.. possibly inbred AND over treated stock.. and/or maybe not stored correctly before setting.. it was NOT caused by the machine in those instances was definitely either genetic or nutritional.

The main reason I cover the flooring (which I figure is considered sufficient or they wouldn't make like that) is for easier clean up, plain and simple. Adding in paper towels and such.. effects my humidity, and blah blah blah.. I like Viva with the inner rougher side of the towel facing up.. this plain white background makes it easy to see action like little shells falling off the pip area, first poops, and so on. I use paper towels inside the brooder until I SEE everyone passing normal droppings.. and while they learn what tasty crumbles are, make it easy to find them at first.. 2 or 3 days is usually comfortable for ME.

Maybe there are different qualities of cupboard liner.. the one I bought was no grip- ier on either side than anything else.

 

[Linda Dee]

I am unsure really. I feel like these plastic grates are quite slippery but also have little holes for the toes to grip or get stuck & broken. I also don't like the hole in the center when the turning grid is removed. I considered leaving it in place as a sort of grip mechanism that stops the soccer game but imagined all sorts of horrifying outcomes! That's a great question, maybe start a thread about JUST that?!

I haven't seen ANY of the folks who rave about the machine mention it. I did have 2 splay legs in the machine on separate occasions.. noting BOTH were from my dear friends.. possibly inbred AND over treated stock.. and/or maybe not stored correctly before setting.. it was NOT caused by the machine in those instances was definitely either genetic or nutritional.

The main reason I cover the flooring (which I figure is considered sufficient or they wouldn't make like that) is for easier clean up, plain and simple. Adding in paper towels and such.. effects my humidity, and blah blah blah.. I like Viva with the inner rougher side of the towel facing up.. this plain white background makes it easy to see action like little shells falling off the pip area, first poops, and so on. I use paper towels inside the brooder until I SEE everyone passing normal droppings.. and while they learn what tasty crumbles are, make it easy to find them at first.. 2 or 3 days is usually comfortable for ME.

Maybe there are different qualities of cupboard liner.. the one I bought was no grip- ier on either side than anything else

I am unsure really. I feel like these plastic grates are quite slippery but also have little holes for the toes to grip or get stuck & broken. I also don't like the hole in the center when the turning grid is removed. I considered leaving it in place as a sort of grip mechanism that stops the soccer game but imagined all sorts of horrifying outcomes! That's a great question, maybe start a thread about JUST that?!

I haven't seen ANY of the folks who rave about the machine mention it. I did have 2 splay legs in the machine on separate occasions.. noting BOTH were from my dear friends.. possibly inbred AND over treated stock.. and/or maybe not stored correctly before setting.. it was NOT caused by the machine in those instances was definitely either genetic or nutritional.

The main reason I cover the flooring (which I figure is considered sufficient or they wouldn't make like that) is for easier clean up, plain and simple. Adding in paper towels and such.. effects my humidity, and blah blah blah.. I like Viva with the inner rougher side of the towel facing up.. this plain white background makes it easy to see action like little shells falling off the pip area, first poops, and so on. I use paper towels inside the brooder until I SEE everyone passing normal droppings.. and while they learn what tasty crumbles are, make it easy to find them at first.. 2 or 3 days is usually comfortable for ME.

Maybe there are different qualities of cupboard liner.. the one I bought was no grip- ier on either side than anything else.

I was wondering if that liner you put in cabinets (the non-skid pads) would be okay. I could cut it in a circle using the turner as a template. I wasn't sure if because it is rubber, it might give off something that might hurt the chicks.
I am brain- storming again...
I do like the thought of the papers.

 

[Mellowmalt]

Hey Linda, let us know how 18% works in your 360. It's interesting about the white and dark eggs losing different humidity, could be valid. My white eggs need 40-50% humdity or they dry too fast.
I've even read guides that say humidity is not that important and egg white absorbtion is controlled by temperature - not sure how valid that is but it is true that a forced air incubator with the same humidity as a still air incubator will lose more humidity.

So for still air I would suggest a dry run but for forced air I would always go a bit higher.

Thats just my preference. Think of drying your hair. If you let it air dry it will take a couple of hours if you use a hairdryer it will take 5 mins. Same with an egg, blow hot air over it and it will lose more moisture than in a still air environment.

So someone recommending a dry run (which some people avoid completely) might be using a still air incubator and someone using a forced air should maybe use comletely different parameters.

There is no, fixed rule and most guides know that specifying a humidity is not all there is to how fast an egg will transpire, temperature, air flow and humidity all play a role together in this.

As to what humidity in lockdown? Any humidity that does not dry the egg excessvely and does not suddently drop - what causes a dangerous drop? Opening the incubator...

 

[Linda Dee]

Hey Linda, let us know how 18% works in your 360. It's interesting about the white and dark eggs losing different humidity, could be valid. My white eggs need 40-50% humdity or they dry too fast.
I've even read guides that say humidity is not that important and egg white absorbtion is controlled by temperature - not sure how valid that is but it is true that a forced air incubator with the same humidity as a still air incubator will lose more humidity.

So for still air I would suggest a dry run but for forced air I would always go a bit higher.

Thats just my preference. Think of drying your hair. If you let it air dry it will take a couple of hours if you use a hairdryer it will take 5 mins. Same with an egg, blow hot air over it and it will lose more moisture than in a still air environment.

So someone recommending a dry run (which some people avoid completely) might be using a still air incubator and someone using a forced air should maybe use comletely different parameters.

There is no, fixed rule and most guides know that specifying a humidity is not all there is to how fast an egg will transpire, temperature, air flow and humidity all play a role together in this.

As to what humidity in lockdown? Any humidity that does not dry the egg excessvely and does not suddently drop - what causes a dangerous drop? Opening the incubator...

I have to say this being my 1st hatch I was nervous about letting the incubator go full dry hatch, I was desperate to get the Marans and the Easter Egger to get an adequate air cell. I first started with 48% after 7 days I candled and I was sick to see that those 2 eggs had hardly changed so I dropped the humidity to 30%. I candled again 3 days later and there was change, but barely a hairline. I dropped the percentage to 25%. when I candled at 14 days, the eggs were not even close to having a large enough air cell, so in desperation I went full dry.
When the incubator dropped after 2 days to 16%, I set up a small humidifier and added 1/4 teaspoon to my incubator, that brought it up to 18% and that's what I maintained with the help of the humidifier until this morning when I went into lockdown, but when I candled them this morning before I put them in lockdown, the air sells looked much better. I feel confident that they would have drowned at hatching had I not done something. Next time I will definitely weight the eggs.
I am not sure the chicks will be okay, but only the next couple of days will tell.
I couldn't just watch them come down to birth and not try to do something.
I will let you know.

Thank you,
Linda

 

[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!

I am on day 20 and I have only had a Light Brahma pip during the night last night. It hasn't done anything further.
No other pips from the other 5 eggs.
I am a little nervous, but I can't do anything anyway, so I guess I will just wait. My temp has been steady at 99.5° and humidity around 65% pretty steady.