Humidity fluctuating for Runner Ducks

[RunnerDucks1221]

Hi everyone, I’m new to the incubating egg world. I have a hone daycare and thought it would be a nice and neat idea for the kids to see how the hatching process of a duckling is and so I decided to get an incubator (farm innovators 2450 circulated air) and picked up 12 fertile runner duck eggs from a local farm. I’m going into day 3 now and I’ve just been noticing that the humidity RH is fluctuating between 55%-65% it won’t ever go above 65% but it’s staying more between the 60s... is this bad for the embryo? I’m nervous that it can damage or reduce the rate of hatchability!! I’ve opened one air ventilator to let out some humidity and it works for only a period of time, the humidity drops to 59% and then when I put the air vent back on it quickly jumps back up to 62 or 63%. The temp is still at 99.5F it’s just maintaining the humidity I’m having a hard time doing. On day 2 in the morning, I went to go check on their leaves and their humidity was at 40%!!!! I freaked!!! I immediately added 1/4-1/2cup of warm water with a baster and the humidity started going up but stayed at around 60-64% throughout the entire day... help!!!

 

[oregonkat]

You do not want your humidity to be higher than about 40% in the first weeks of incubation before you lockdown before hatch. Humidity that is too high prevents the air cell in the egg from expanding as it should and it also can cause the chick to grow too large. You are in the early days yet so lower your humidity!!
Read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...y-sunshine-bantychooks.1046313/#post-16038469 or other incubating threads on here.
Make sure you have an independent and calibrated (by you) thermometer and hygrometer, other than those with your incubator which can be quite incorrect. Good luck with your hatch.

 

[RunnerDucks1221]

You do not want your humidity to be higher than about 40% in the first weeks of incubation before you lockdown before hatch. Humidity that is too high prevents the air cell in the egg from expanding as it should and it also can cause the chick to grow too large. You are in the early days yet so lower your humidity!!
Read this: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...y-sunshine-bantychooks.1046313/#post-16038469 or other incubating threads on here.
Make sure you have an independent and calibrated (by you) thermometer and hygrometer, other than those with your incubator which can be quite incorrect. Good luck with your hatch.

Thanks for your reply! I have been researching everywhere about what humidity I should keep the incubator at and all of most sites say to keep the humidity at RH 55%.... you’re saying to keep it at 40%... I don’t know which one would be best? I know that 65% is way too high so I’ve just opened an air vent to let some humidity out and monitor their humidity at 55% or do you think that’s still too high?

 

[2 many chickens]

Thanks for your reply! I have been researching everywhere about what humidity I should keep the incubator at and all of most sites say to keep the humidity at RH 55%.... you’re saying to keep it at 40%... I don’t know which one would be best? I know that 65% is way too high so I’ve just opened an air vent to let some humidity out and monitor their humidity at 55% or do you think that’s still too high?

55 is too high.
Way too high.
I always do between 35% and 40% until lockdown.
At lock down, it goes up to 65%.

 

[WVduckchick]

Open the vents and leave them open. You probably want to remove any water you have in there also.

Check out the link in my signature below, in red.

 

[RunnerDucks1221]

Okay thanks, now just confirming, I’m hatching runner ducks, not chicks I do g know if that makes any difference. Today will be day 3 so I have opened both vents to let the humidity out. The temp is still at 99.5 it’s just the humidity that’s fluctuating. Do you think because the humidity has been between 55% to 65% for the first 48h it would have damaged the embryo already?

 

[RunnerDucks1221]

Check out the link in my signature below, in red.

Where is the link? I can’t find it!

 

[2 many chickens]

Okay thanks, now just confirming, I’m hatching runner ducks, not chicks I do g know if that makes any difference. Today will be day 3 so I have opened both vents to let the humidity out. The temp is still at 99.5 it’s just the humidity that’s fluctuating. Do you think because the humidity has been between 55% to 65% for the first 48h it would have damaged the embryo already?

When I hatched my Pekin/Runners I used the same humidity I said above (no higher than 40%) and had great hatch results.
I don't think any damage has been done since you're still very early in. I think they'll be just fine If you fix it now.

 

[WVduckchick]

Okay thanks, now just confirming, I’m hatching runner ducks, not chicks I do g know if that makes any difference. Today will be day 3 so I have opened both vents to let the humidity out. The temp is still at 99.5 it’s just the humidity that’s fluctuating. Do you think because the humidity has been between 55% to 65% for the first 48h it would have damaged the embryo already?

Nah, a few days won't hurt them. Humidity isn't really a set number, lots of factors to consider, as you'll see in the article

Where is the link? I can’t find it!

If on mobile, you usually have to turn your phone sideways to see folks signature lines. But here it is >> https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubation-humidity.73386/

 

[RunnerDucks1221]

When I hatched my Pekin/Runners I used the same humidity I said above (no higher than 40%) and had great hatch results.
I don't think any damage has been done since you're still very early in. I think they'll be just fine If you fix it now.

This makes me feel so much better! I’ve oprned both air vents and humidity is slowly lowering, it’s at 61% right now. I also oprned the bottom #1 filling hole and placed a rolled up paper towel to soak up some water? Do you recommend any other way to remove water or reduce humidity without opening up incubator?