I need help with humidity.......

[madi99]

This is my first time hatching chicks and i just want to know what the ideal humidity is for the first 1-18 days. I've seen a lot of different answers and i'm afraid its too high (65-70%). I'm only on day 2 so i want to fix the humidity before it turns into a major issue...if it is too high how do you recommend i lower it? Thanks!

 

[satay]

I would be aiming for more around 45% for the first 18 days then up it to about 65% for hatching. If you have water in the incubator take some out til you get the percentage you want.

 

[rahul2299]

satay is absolutely right.. dont look or search internet.. in most of the site u found recomm of 60-65% during 1-18 days which is 100% wrong.. If humidity will high ur chicks can drowned into the egg moister.. In my first hatch i had done this mistake before and found my chicks dead drowned in eggs after 16 days...

keep 40-45% (1-17) days

lockdown 65-70% (18-21) days


one more thing after lockdown, dont try to open the bator otherwise membrane can stick onto chick body and chick will not hatch, resulting your all works will be vanished.

 

[madi99]

Thanks!! I was able to let a lot of water out last night and now the humidity is at 45% exactly... I just hope it stays like this!

 

[satay]

That's good news. Don't worry if once the chicks start to hatch that the humidity will likely go higher than the 65% we recommended, Just try to keep it there til they start to hatch and then leave it be til all your chickens hatch. Yes don't open the incubator once they go into lock down. New chicks can go up to 48 hours with no food as they absorb the sack.

 

[mgroza]

satay is absolutely right.. dont look or search internet.. in most of the site u found recomm of 60-65% during 1-18 days which is 100% wrong.. If humidity will high ur chicks can drowned into the egg moister.. In my first hatch i had done this mistake before and found my chicks dead drowned in eggs after 16 days...

keep 40-45% (1-17) days

lockdown 65-70% (18-21) days


one more thing after lockdown, dont try to open the bator otherwise membrane can stick onto chick body and chick will not hatch, resulting your all works will be vanished.

How were the eggs turned that drowned for you? Were they laying on ther sides? I've never had any drown from high humidity the first 18 days. My turner keeps the large end up all the time and just rocks back and forth.My humidity stays between 50 and 60% until the last day then at 70 for hatching. I've been getting about 95% hatch.

 

[satay]

Chicks can and will drown in their egg if the humidity gets too high no matter which way you have them. To be safe for a newbie hatcher i would go with the advice we gave you,. You can always change it at a later date to what suits you best.