Humidity

[StellaBlue81]

I've done my research on hatching peachicks in a still air incubator and I've found several different humidity levels so I'm not sure which one I should be going by. Help please!! Thank you!!

 

[allbirds4me]

personally mine do best at around 60% relative until the last few days then I bump it up to about 75% .

 

[Garden Peas]

I've done my research on hatching peachicks in a still air incubator and I've found several different humidity levels so I'm not sure which one I should be going by. Help please!! Thank you!!

Hi StellaBlue --

The answer is, it depends... (not the answer you were hoping for!). Different humidities work for different people. Altitude may also play a factor, since at higher altitudes, higher humidity effectively displaces oxygen, making it harder for chicks to survive.

If you want to really pin it down, go by weight loss on the eggs, weighing them before setting, then tracking the percentage of weight loss to make sure they are losing enough weight to not suffocate or drown, but not too much. Some people also track the size of the air cell for the same reason.

In my situation, I have found less humidity is better, but I am at altitude. I am running about 50% in the incubator and 60% in the hatcher.

The more pertinent question to me: is a still air incubator going to work reliably for hatching peachicks? Although you can find plenty of people (including me) who have succeeded in hatching peachicks in a still air incubator, on the whole, I would suggest that there are much better options.

The still air incubators tend to be wafer switch controlled for the temperature -- these are notoriously unstable and not the best for hatching peachicks. Peas are more difficult to hatch than chickens, and need more accurately controlled temperatures. Also, some still air incubators are too short for peas, so the eggs sit closer to the heat element, which makes them susceptible to damage from the heater, and sometimes after hatching, they can burn their heads. The still air incubators also may have hot & cold spots, and don't have good air circulation. There's often not room for an automatic turner. I've found that the automatic turner helps increase air circulation and works better for me.

In general, the folks who have successfully hatched peachicks in still air incubators have gone through a steep learning curve to figure out what works for them -- it is far from foolproof, and can be frustrating beyond words. My suggestion would be to work with a better device -- some kind of digital control for temperature and circulated air, rather than start with an incubator which may not be up to the task.

And WELCOME TO THE PEAFOWL FORUM!!!

 

[allbirds4me]

Garden peas, you give good advice but one of
the main problems with still air incubators is just that...still air.
Eggs need good air circulation while incubating because they put of a lot of CO2 during incubation . Need to get fresh air in , bad air out via the vents, fans and/or opening the lid or door of the incubator briefly, several times .

 

[Garden Peas]

Eggsactly! That's a big part of why I suggest using an incubator that has air circulation in it AND using an automatic egg turner -- not only because the motion helps the embryos, but also because it gets the pea eggs up off the floor (wire screen) of the incubator and tremendously increases the amount of fresh air reaching the egg. I've hatched in one, and it's really hard to have success.

So let me repeat, my advice is to start with a better device -- not a still air incubator -- for pea eggs. I recommend something with a digital control, built-in air circulation and either a built-in or added on automatic egg turner. Those would be the absolute minimum requirements for me, having been through the experiences I have.

 

[StellaBlue81]

Eggsactly!  That's a big part of why I suggest using an incubator that has air circulation in it AND using an automatic egg turner -- not only because the motion helps the embryos, but also because it gets the pea eggs up off the floor (wire screen) of the incubator and tremendously increases the amount of fresh air reaching the egg.  I've hatched in one, and it's really hard to have success.

So let me repeat, my advice is to start with a better device -- not a still air incubator -- for pea eggs.  I recommend something with a digital control, built-in air circulation and either a built-in or added on automatic egg turner.  Those would be the absolute minimum requirements for me, having been through the experiences I have. 

 

[StellaBlue81]

Well I hatched one peachick in the incubator only to find out my peahen is sitting on a nest of at least 6 pea eggs. I had to assist the baby pea in hatching. It got to a point where it hadnt made any progress in almost 30 hours and I could see it breathing and struggling. I had a panic attack, read the great post on assisted hatching and did it. The yolk was absorbed and there was no blood. However he did have some pretty crooked toes. I made him little shoes and taped its toes straight and after a day and a half his right foot was correct. I put a new one on his left and he walks/runs around great now. I am perplexed though...he doesn't make any sound unless I pick him up he will peep twice but not your normal constant peachick noise and I find this concerning. Am I just worrying over nothing or should I be concerned?

 

[sseabass]

Hi StellaBlue --

The answer is, it depends... (not the answer you were hoping for!). Different humidities work for different people. Altitude may also play a factor, since at higher altitudes, higher humidity effectively displaces oxygen, making it harder for chicks to survive.

If you want to really pin it down, go by weight loss on the eggs, weighing them before setting, then tracking the percentage of weight loss to make sure they are losing enough weight to not suffocate or drown, but not too much. Some people also track the size of the air cell for the same reason.

In my situation, I have found less humidity is better, but I am at altitude. I am running about 50% in the incubator and 60% in the hatcher.

The more pertinent question to me: is a still air incubator going to work reliably for hatching peachicks? Although you can find plenty of people (including me) who have succeeded in hatching peachicks in a still air incubator, on the whole, I would suggest that there are much better options.

The still air incubators tend to be wafer switch controlled for the temperature -- these are notoriously unstable and not the best for hatching peachicks. Peas are more difficult to hatch than chickens, and need more accurately controlled temperatures. Also, some still air incubators are too short for peas, so the eggs sit closer to the heat element, which makes them susceptible to damage from the heater, and sometimes after hatching, they can burn their heads. The still air incubators also may have hot & cold spots, and don't have good air circulation. There's often not room for an automatic turner. I've found that the automatic turner helps increase air circulation and works better for me.

In general, the folks who have successfully hatched peachicks in still air incubators have gone through a steep learning curve to figure out what works for them -- it is far from foolproof, and can be frustrating beyond words. My suggestion would be to work with a better device -- some kind of digital control for temperature and circulated air, rather than start with an incubator which may not be up to the task.

And WELCOME TO THE PEAFOWL FORUM!!!

 

[sseabass]

Hi Garden Peas,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I just found this post of yours on HUMIDITY and Peachick eggs posted in 2014. You are the only person to say that Humidity is relative to where you live and the altitude. Thank you .
I have lost so many Peas over the last 2 years because I read an article “How to Successfully Incubate Peahen Eggs” and printed it out and followed it’s guidelines diligently. 60% Humidity is not good when you live in the mountains. 60% Humidity has caused almost all of my chicks to DROWN 60% is too much for Montana.
I have looked for hours over the last 2 years trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.
Luckily the gentleman who I bought eggs from this Spring helped me.
Also, he shared with me to order baby Chicken chicks to arrive when the Peas are due to hatch. They are the best and most natural way to help your Peas learn to eat. I now have a very happy and healthy 5 day old Peachick eating along side her/his granny chicken chick.
If possible, maybe someone who knows more than I do, would post this information.
If anyone feels what I have shared is incorrect, please tell me and I will listen and correct my message if necessary.
To all our baby Peas who are such amazing little creatures.
Carol B.

 

[sseabass]

Hi Garden Peas,
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
I just found this post of yours on HUMIDITY and Peachick eggs posted in 2014. You are the only person to say that Humidity is relative to where you live and the altitude. Thank you .
I have lost so many Peas over the last 2 years because I read an article “How to Successfully Incubate Peahen Eggs” and printed it out and followed it’s guidelines diligently. 60% Humidity is not good when you live in the mountains. 60% Humidity has caused almost all of my chicks to DROWN 60% is too much for Montana.
I have looked for hours over the last 2 years trying to figure out what I was doing wrong.
Luckily the gentleman who I bought eggs from this Spring helped me.
Also, he shared with me to order baby Chicken chicks to arrive when the Peas are due to hatch. They are the best and most natural way to help your Peas learn to eat. I now have a very happy and healthy 5 day old Peachick eating along side her/his granny chicken chick.
If possible, maybe someone who knows more than I do, would post this information.
If anyone feels what I have shared is incorrect, please tell me and I will listen and correct my message if necessary.
To all our baby Peas who are such amazing little creatures.
Carol B.