humidity question

[jwells84]

I'm attempting to hatch out 39 chicks ( i started with 42 eggs two were infertile and one had a blood ring) my humidity is staying from 30% to 45%most of the time. once or twice it has gotten 50%. i have no water in my bator. i checked the air pocket on day 7 it didn't look to bad. tomorrow is day 14 and I'll check again. however I'm wondering if it was so high will i need to add water to my incubator to raise it or leave it alone. Thanks for any suggestions I'm sure I'm just worrying for no reason and it will work out, my husband says I'm worse than a mother hen.lol.

 

[scflock]

I'm attempting to hatch out 39 chicks ( i started with 42 eggs two were infertile and one had a blood ring) my humidity is staying from 30% to 45%most of the time. once or twice it has gotten 50%. i have no water in my bator. i checked the air pocket on day 7 it didn't look to bad. tomorrow is day 14 and I'll check again. however I'm wondering if it was so high will i need to add water to my incubator to raise it or leave it alone. Thanks for any suggestions I'm sure I'm just worrying for no reason and it will work out, my husband says I'm worse than a mother hen.lol.

You definitely need to add water for lockdown. I go 65% minimum. What kind of incubator are you using. Is the humidity on the screen, or are you using a separate hygrometer? Those numbers running dry make me question the accuracy

 

[jwells84]

im using a lg still air, i bought a hydrometer and was sure to calibrate it. Im very sure it's accurate. inside my house is running about 52% humidity at this very moment and if i remove the hydrometer it reads that.with the humidity at 52 in my house my bator is reading 48% right now.

 

[scflock]

im using a lg still air, i bought a hydrometer and was sure to calibrate it. Im very sure it's accurate. inside my house is running about 52% humidity at this very moment and if i remove the hydrometer it reads that.with the humidity at 52 in my house my bator is reading 48% right now.

Sounds to me like you are good to go, then, especially if you have 39 of 42 developing!
I would still add enough water to at least get to 60-65% for lockdown. You don't want those membranes drying out before they can kick free

 

[jwells84]

Thanks I just hate to drown them.. I lost a whole batch last month mostly due to humidity(I think) I didn't have a hydrometer then but just went by the instruction that came with the bator

 

[scflock]

Thanks I just hate to drown them.. I lost a whole batch last month mostly due to humidity(I think) I didn't have a hydrometer then but just went by the instruction that came with the bator

Many, many first timers do that. I did the exact same thing. So you are dry hatching? I'm assuming you have spoken to AmyLynn

 

[AmyLynn2374]

No...lol, but I am going to butt in any way...lol I agree with SC. you need water and higher humidity at lockdown. I actually go for 75% at lockdown. You will not drown your eggs highering the humidty at lockdown. The reason that chicks drown because of high humidity during incubation is because the high humidity during incubation does not let the egg loose the moisture that is already in the egg. It doesn't add moisture. Last fall when I started using the dry method my bator averaged 40/45% humidity completely dry. This winter I had to add a sponge to get it to stay aroud 30% because of the dryness that using a pellet stove causes.
Good luck, I think you will find that dry method works better, especially if you are using a styro bator and your temps have been steady at the right temp.

 

[jwells84]

Yes I am using the dry method. Thanksfor the help I really appreciate it!

 

[jwells84]

well I had 2 survive.. others died after lock down.. I think I raised the humidity to high. when I examined the dead ones the egg was full of fluid, some of the chicks weren't even turned right and one had piped then died so I guess I'll be trying again when I get enough egg gathered.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

well I had 2 survive.. others died after lock down.. I think I raised the humidity to high. when I examined the dead ones the egg was full of fluid, some of the chicks weren't even turned right and one had piped then died so I guess I'll be trying again when I get enough egg gathered.

That is not caused from raising the humidity too high at lockdown. Chicks drown in the egg (extra fluid in the egg) is caused by the egg not loosing enough moisture during the incubation period. Usually the reason eggs do not loose enough moisture during incubation is because the humidity was too high. Higher humidity does NOT add extra moisture to the egg, it prevents the moisture/liquid that is already in the shell from escaping. I run my humidity at lockdown and hatch around 75% Once they start hatching it often goes well above 80%. While there are theories about what high/low humidity levels cause/don't cause at lockdown many people lockdown with varying amounts of humidity and still have successsful hatches.

Assuming your hygrometer has been checked for accuracy, I would look at the humidity levels you are using for the first 17 days and adjust those. Maybe consider using the "dry" or "low humidity incubation". If you'd like to learn more about controlling humidity and monitoring the air cells for guidence with humidity you can take a look at this: http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/02/spraddle-leg-in-baby-chicks-what-is-it.html

Wish you much luck on the next adventure!