Humidity

[MagsC]

I am just curious. I have heard different things. When the humidity is upped before a hatch do you up it two or three days before or doesnt it make much of a difference as long as it is in the three day time period before they hatch?

 

[shelleyd2008]

Not sure I really understand what you are asking, but you are supposed to stop turning the eggs at 18 days for chickens, and this is when you up the humidity.

 

[MagsC]

Yes, I understand you are supposed to stop turning at day 18. What I was wondering about is do you HAVE to up the humidity on the 18th day or could you wait a little bit closer to hatch time? I was only curious because I have read of people doing both?
I have been upping the humidity on the day I stop turning and put them into the hatcher.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Well since everyone says not to open the hatcher once you put the eggs in there, I guess you would have no choice but to up it then.

 

[MagsC]

My hatcher is the same temperature as the incubator. I dont have to open it to put water in it, its got a kind of spout to pour the water into. I worry about upping it too soon and having chicks drown as they pip the shell.

 

[shelleyd2008]

I'm not really sure, but I hatch mine at about 55-60% (can't get it to go up any higher), and they do just fine. I don't think they would drown that quickly.

 

[MagsC]

You are probably right. With this incubator its easy to get the humidity TOO high so I am trying to be careful.