Help!! With hatching humidity...

[3 Dog Ranch]

Ok, so the humidity in my incubator has raised really high with the hatched chicks inside, is this gonna drown the remaining eggs?? Sooooo nervous

 

[Nestew]

I was a newbie hatching this month as well and just wrapped up 15 of 20 eggs that made it to lockdown. There is a ton of info (and a lot conflicts). I ended up just doing what felt right and it seems to have worked out for me.

My humidity jumped really high (like 90% at first when I got a better hygrometer in there - machine was reading 78%). I had two water chambers so even though the manufacturer recommended filling both - I used a towel to empty one and get humidity to 75% fairly consistent (fluctuations up and down as new pippers and hatchers) and now I know this is also considered by many to be much too high.

Next time I will try to be even more consistent with alt meters from the start and may go much lower than the manufacturer recommended settings throughout. Mine were around 50% humidity for setting.

I also took the chicks out much earlier than normally suggested. As two or three had been hatched for about 2-3 hrs when there was a break, I would grab them and their shells. They were jumping and bumping and rolling the other eggs so much - I felt it was better to quickly move them to the brooder to finish drying and fluffing and let those still in eggs have some peace. Again worked ok for me but know there are many opinions and other circumstances. With as high as my humidity was - I doubted a few seconds of opening would harm anything and it doesn’t seem to have. I think it’s just about the risk which is nerve wracking to be sure.

 

[nuthatched]

What is your humidity?

 

[3 Dog Ranch]

What is your humidity?

72 now but was 83

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

It’s totally normal for humidity to make a huge leap once chicks start hatching. This will not adversely affect the chicks still in their shell.

 

[UThobbyfarmer]

Drowning in eggs is caused by high humidity throughout the hatch. Not by increased humidity during the final hours.

 

[3 Dog Ranch]

Thank you guys!! I just get sooo worried!!