Humidity in Bator...EXCELLENT INFO HERE! EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS!

[chickenrunnin]

it is so nice to have everyones opinion on this thread. Every one has soo much to offer and it is so great. If one doesnt explain it well the other does, also allowing one to make their own decisions. I just wanted to add a thank you and will let you know how it works when i get brave enough to try. I know one day I will look back and see that there was nothing to fear but fear itself. Thanks again everyone !!!!
Kelly

 

[danielnv]

Quote:
I just read back over this thread and I have a theory that the mother hen knows whether eggs are still alive because birds have really good hearing. Perhaps they can hear the heart beating early on? I agree with the other poster that their sense of smell isn't very good.

 

[twigg]

deleted

 

[jvls1942]

Quote:
I just read back over this thread and I have a theory that the mother hen knows whether eggs are still alive because birds have really good hearing. Perhaps they can hear the heart beating early on? I agree with the other poster that their sense of smell isn't very good.

the hen can feel the eggs which hold temp and the ones that do not
a "bad" egg looses temp rapidly..

and then a more developed egg feels differently than a non-developing egg when it gets turned.

only a mother knows..

 

[Dread Pirate Roberts]

So what is the general consensus after 22 pages?

Higher humidity for higher altitude, lower humidity for lower altitude?

 

[william9792]

well i like my humidty at 30 to 40% days 1-18, then day 18 bring it up to 45 to 55% till all have hatched. this is what works for me . william

 

[twigg]

Quote:
It's physics.

At higher altitudes, the eggs will lose weight quicker than normal, so the humidity should be higher to counteract that.

As to what level of RH .... well above about 3 or 4 thousand feet I would be weighing every egg daily, plotting the results and adjusting humidity to produce the appropriate 18 day weight.

 

[spookychick]

Absolutely wonderful thread! I have a couple of questions... So is it the humidity where you live that determines where you keep the incubator humidity, or the altitude that determines where you should set the incubator humidity? I live in southwest Washington state, and the humidity in my incubation room is around 35 percent.

That said, my first hatch wasn't a grand success. The eggs were shipped, so I'm factoring in for the rough ride, but I only had 3 hatch out of 8 developing eggs in an original shipment of 24! Of the 3 that hatched, 1 was so stuck in dried membrane I decided to help the poor screaming baby after 24 hours. All 3 seem to be thriving after almost a week, so I'm hopeful they'll make it. But obviously I did something wrong to get so few to hatch. The 2 that hatched on their own didn't seem to have a dry membrane issue, so I can't say I think the humidity was too low, but all had larger air sacks then I think they should have so I don't know. I kept humidity days 1-18 at 60 - 65 percent, 75 percent after day 18. The three pips were right on schedule for day 21. Temp ran from 99 to 100 in a forced air Genesis.

I have more eggs in the bator now, but have switched from the Genesis to a nice new Sportsman. Right off the bat I can tell that the Sportsman keeps temp so much better. I have a very good spot check thermometer, as well as several other thermometer/hygrometers I use to keep myself from panicking. I have the Sportsman set at 100 degrees and 45 percent humidity at present. I did move some eggs over from the Genesis. Day 12 and they felt a little light, but I didn't candle them since I just checked them on day 7 and all were good. I was planning to try the dry incubation method as described because I just set some Wheaten/Blue Wheaten Marans eggs too. Considering my experience with the last hatch, does trying this method sound like a bad idea? I want to do what's best for the chicks. Just wish I knew someone locally who has had success with a particular humidity practice. After reading this entire thread I've come to the conclusion that local environmental factors play heavily on the success of the hatch.

 

[Jamie821]

the sportsman will run a little drier then the styrofoam bators. I keep my room where the bator is at fifty percent humidity and I run the sportsman at forty percent and do not add water till it drops to twenty five. In a styrofoam I keep my room at 50% and run it at a average of 35 and dont add water till it drops to 25 for a couple of hours. That is the first eighteen days. At hatch I run the sportsman no higher then 60 and usually around 58. In the strofoam I run it about the same. I have a humidifier in my bator room set to 50% at all times makes it easier to maintain and dont have to add water as often if you dont have the humidity in your room it will be harder to maintain the drier your room is.

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
I'm not Wheaties, but what I have done in the past about 30 plus years ..

I took a piece of cardboard .. cut a hole about the size of the eggs..

This way the light won't blind you .. Cardboard .. egg by hole backside, and light behind the egg.. you'll be surprised by what you see..

Hopes this helps you...