Humidity...is lower better in the begining?

[4H kids and mom]

My last try at the bator had chicks pip but not hatch and all had unabsorbed yolk sacs. I have read that this can be due to too high of humidity during the first 18 days. Is this true?

This time around, I have two digi thermom/hygros going to be sure its acurate. Both read exactly the same on temp and humidity. I can't seem to get the humidity much over 45-47%.

When I try to raise it by adding a wet sponge or something, it shoots up to the 70-75% range, which I know is far too high right now. I am on Day 4 with this batch, and I want everything to go well. Is 45% alright, or do I need to raise it? Is there some easy way I can raise it just a little?

(I'm using a still air Hova-Bator, rigged with automatic thermostat to control temp. Temp holds constant at 100.0-100.4)

 

[jimnjay]

I would not worry about humidity being in the mid to high 40 range during the beginning. It should dry up some in your incubator as the days go buy, just keep it as close to that range as possible. Check the air cell development when you candle and make sure to compare to the charts showing what you should be seeing. Many use the dry incubation method with the Hova Bator units, so you should be fine. It is good you can get it up higher with the sponges so you should do well.

I have learned that temp and humidity are really good to keep tract of but each hatch can vary some. Checking the air cell development early one is a good way to tell how you are doing while you can still make adjustments.

I also have cut the sponges in quarters so I can add more or less as the need arises.

 

[jackiedon]

I can tell you next week. I am trying the low humidity in the first 18 days. I'm keeping it around 35-45%. We candled last night since my daughter was going to 4-H camp this week and didn't want to miss candling this week. I had one quiter but the rest were kicking around like crazy.

I have silkie eggs, RIR eggs, and White Leghorn eggs in the bator. The air pocket was a BIG difference between the silkies and the RIR.

Time will tell at the end of next week.

I just put some guinea eggs in last night.

jackie

 

[4H kids and mom]

At what stage should I see a real chane in the air cell? When I candle again at 10 days, or should I have noticed a real cell when I candled last night?

There was 'some' but nothing major, but all eggs I candled had very good developement otherwise.

Its good to know that I can keep the humidity lower for now. And I don't see my having a problem raising it to 80-85% for the last few days before hatch, so I guess I wont worry too much about it for now.

Thanks all!

 

[jimnjay]

I just candled some in my incubator that were on day 4 Sunday Night. They were showing a slight air cell change. By day 7 you will see definate change refer to this chart. If on day 14 you see anything greater or smaller you can adjust accordingly. Make notes on what you see and what you do to fix it for future reference. If you are like me you will forget by the next time.

 

[johnnam]

Hi I am new to this chicken thing also. So let me see if I got this right. 45% is okay in the beginning and it should go up to 80 -85% at the last three day of incubation? I am on day 5 and I have some eggs that have vessels in them, then today I noticed that there is a little black dot in the mass of stuff, is this normal?

 

[4H kids and mom]

Yup! The little black dot is the chick!

 

[aran]

hmmm..i think the airsacs are larger on my eggs than on that reference picture...mind you the last eggs were with unabsorbed yolk at the end and they hatched on the right day meaning temp must have been ok...what a mystery!

 

[johnnam]

so....if you catch this air sac thing soon enough is there any way of changing it? What does it mean when the egg yolk is not absorbed?

 

[Smoky73]

I wouldnt raise it up to 80-85%. I keep mine around 70-75%. To me, I would think 80-85% would possibly drown them.