How important is a closed incubator?

[ComradeQuedtions]

For the sake of getting the best answers I can let’s just assume this is my only option available to me. If I was to put eggs that have reached day 18 in the incubator into a different area, would it matter if it was enclosed? If the room their in maintains temp and is at the required temperature then does it being say like in an lidless box affect anything?

 

[Huntmaster]

For the sake of getting the best answers I can let’s just assume this is my only option available to me. If I was to put eggs that have reached day 18 in the incubator into a different area, would it matter if it was enclosed? If the room their in maintains temp and is at the required temperature then does it being say like in an lidless box affect anything?

As long as temp can be controlled and held at correct incubating temp then will be ok with temps, but you also need high humidity for hatching anyway to control humidity?

 

[NatJ]

For the sake of getting the best answers I can let’s just assume this is my only option available to me. If I was to put eggs that have reached day 18 in the incubator into a different area, would it matter if it was enclosed? If the room their in maintains temp and is at the required temperature then does it being say like in an lidless box affect anything?

Yes, the "lidless box" idea has a big effect on humidity.

If you live in a humid climate, the eggs might be fine in something like that for the first 18 days of incubation, but would probably have trouble at hatching time. In a dry climate, that would not work for the first 18 days either.

While chicks are actually hatching, they need high humidity so the membrane does not dry out while they are trying to open the egg.

So at hatching time, you want something to keep the humidity in: humidity from water you add, and humidity from the chicks themselves as they hatch and dry off (so the early hatchers are helping the later ones by adding humidity.) You are not going to have a high enough humidity in a "lidless box" in most parts of the world.

 

[nuthatched]

Maybe in a bakery riser room....but you average room will not be humid or warm enough.

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

Maybe in a bakery riser room....but you average room will not be humid or warm enough.

Well I have a heater that actually keeps my room at a constant 80 and can be set higher. That could be used for heat in the room the chick stuff are in. But yeah humidity is one I can’t attest too and the thermometer/hydrometer I have in the incubator is rarely accurate (I have a couple and they all read different even when they’re in the same room or area)

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

Yes, the "lidless box" idea has a big effect on humidity.

If you live in a humid climate, the eggs might be fine in something like that for the first 18 days of incubation, but would probably have trouble at hatching time. In a dry climate, that would not work for the first 18 days either.

While chicks are actually hatching, they need high humidity so the membrane does not dry out while they are trying to open the egg.

So at hatching time, you want something to keep the humidity in: humidity from water you add, and humidity from the chicks themselves as they hatch and dry off (so the early hatchers are helping the later ones by adding humidity.) You are not going to have a high enough humidity in a "lidless box" in most parts of the world.

The average humidity where I’m at is around 79%. Would that be risky?

 

[Huntmaster]

The average humidity where I’m at is around 79%. Would that be risky?

That humidity would be plenty high but where are you located that you have a consistent 79% humidity?

 

[ComradeQuedtions]

That humidity would be plenty high but where are you located that you have a consistent 79% humidity?

I dont know about consistent that’s just the average for my area when I searched. I’m in NC

 

[NatJ]

The average humidity where I’m at is around 79%. Would that be risky?

That humidity would probably be fine, if it is in the room where the eggs are. It is common for houses to be drier than outdoors (both heaters and air conditioners make the air drier.)

It would be helpful if you can measure the humidity right where the eggs will be.

For the sake of getting the best answers I can let’s just assume this is my only option available to me. If I was to put eggs that have reached day 18 in the incubator into a different area, would it matter if it was enclosed?

Could you maybe do this the other way around? Move the younger eggs into your makeshift incubator for a few days, so the ones hatching can be in the enclosed incubator.

 

[Huntmaster]

It will be much lower in the house in a heated room,