Help with humidity for chicken eggs on the last three days of hatching. Hatch date is 3/30/13. Help!

[horselv2003]

I have read two different things regarding the humidity when incubating chicken eggs. I have heard that for the first 18 days humidity should be 55 degrees and then 65 for the last three days and then I have heard 65 for the first 18 days and 80-85 for the last three days. I have 4 chicken eggs that are going to be on day 18 starting tomorrow and I'm confused on which information is correct. This is my first time hatching in an incubator. I also have about 30 turkey eggs in the same incubator that are not on their last three days yet if this would change the answer. TIA

 

[sumi]

Which one did you choose? The 55% humidity (correct) or the 65% (too high).

 

[horselv2003]

You are talking about the last three days of the 21 day period correct? I have not chosen yet because I still have about a half day or so until day 18. I was trying to get some opinions since the info I have been finding are saying two different things.

 

[sumi]

What was your humidity at up 'till now? Ideally you should incubate at no higher than 55% and then bump it up to 65-70% during the last 3 days.

 

[horselv2003]

It has been between 55 and 60 humidity up until now. I will get it between 65 and 70 for the last few days and see how this works out. I also have other eggs, turkey eggs, in the same incubator and have been told that as long as the humidity doesn't go over 70 for them then they would be fine and it shouldn't effect them. Not sure if you have any experience in that or not? Day 18 is about to start so I will be raising the humidity and taking them out of the egg turners.

 

[sumi]

When are the turkey eggs due? If you set them a week before the chicken eggs so they'll hatch at the same time it's fine. If they are not ready for lockdown the extra humidity could cause problems.

 

[horselv2003]

The turkey eggs are all at different stages. I had asked a question on the turkey forum and was told by others that doing eggs of different birds together are fine and also that doing turkey eggs at different stages was fine as long as humidity is no higher than 70. Since I don't have another incubator to transfer the chicken eggs to I will just keep the humidity between 65 and 70 until they hatch and adjust or leave it afterwards for the turkey eggs. So far 6 out of 8 turkey eggs are 14 days or more and moving so hopefully hatch rate will be good. This is our first try at hatching this way so we will see, fingers crossed!

 

[Quyen Le]

I would leave it at 55-60% My chickens hatch at 40%+ so 55-60% is OK for hatching and it will not affect turkey eggs.

 

[horselv2003]

So many different answers.....what to do, what to do Lol. Thank you guys for all your input!

 

[sumi]

Staggered hatches can be tricky and lots of us have different ways of doing it and other things. You'll get 5 different answers and suggestions for this scenario if you ask enough people! I think what you should do is what Quyen Le suggested and keep the humidity at 60%. Once the chicks start hatching the humidity will go up more as the release moisture from the eggs when they hatch. I've seen a single hatchling in my small incubator bump the humidity up by 8%.

Fingers crossed your hatch will go well. Keep us posted!