In your experience, what's better, higher humidity or lower humidity?

[Yard full o' rocks]

I have a Genesis 1588 'bator (actually 2 of them) and my last 2 hatches were less than respectable. I maintained the humidity at between 35-50%, not adding water until the humidity dipped below 30% (this is for days 1-18). Then filled both troughs on "lockdown day" at which time the humidity increased to about 70%.

I have a batch in the 'bator now and I have been maintaining the humidity a bit higher this time on days 1-18....around 45-55%. Just testing to see if there is any impact.

In your experience, whats the best humidity range from Days 1-18? At what point do you add water?

Where do you keep your humidity during the last 3 days?

Thanks much for any advise....hoping for better hatches to come.

 

[Kullas]

I just got done hatching some eggs well yesterday was the 23rd day and i hatched 4 out of 26

sounds like i was keeping my humidity about the same as yours. im about to set some more

ima keep a eye out here and see if i can do something different to help the next round

 

[Yard full o' rocks]

Quote:
I just hatched some of Speckledhens Dels...I think you have just gotten some. I have 2 of her "original culled" birds (sooooo friendly). I got 2 out of 12 to hatch....uuuggghhhh. However, I think you will have better results as the eggs should be larger.

Best of luck ... let me know if you need any help

 

[HBuehler]

I just hatched 7 out of 7 with upper 40's for humidity for the first 18 days and 70-73% on the last days. First 6 hatched super but the last guy was a bit later and he had sticking issues but alive.
Have another batch in right now running at 73-75% humidity-lockdown they kept the same 40's thru the first 18 days.
Edited to add this hatch has smaller eggs and they tend to loose moisture quicker than a big egg does so that is the main reason I went up a little in humidity...7 out of 7 I was happy with.

 

[Katy]

Where I live lower seems to work better than higher.

 

[Kullas]

I think i got 16 Del's from Speckledhens this time and 15bard rocks from Lockedhearts going to set them tonight and in my homemade bator im setting 56 quail eggs on the chicken eggs i think i will go with the 40% hum for 1-18 and go back to 70 for lock down hope i get a better hatch rate than last time.

The last time they were full little chicks just never pipped

 

[jvls1942]

I run 60% straight through,, when eggs start hatching, the hum% rises on it's own a little..

I know as soon as I say this someone will come on and say they do not add any water and dry incubate and their hatches are great.. to you I say , good for you, keep doing it your way.. I will keep doing it my way .. I do not have any drowning in the shell, or sticking when trying to hatch.. that is all I hope for and I am happy with 75 to 85% hatches...

 

[Cetawin]

Yard full o' rocks :

Quote:
I just hatched some of Speckledhens Dels...I think you have just gotten some. I have 2 of her "original culled" birds (sooooo friendly). I got 2 out of 12 to hatch....uuuggghhhh. However, I think you will have better results as the eggs should be larger.

Best of luck ... let me know if you need any help

Oh sorry your delawares did not do better. I have 7 BBS and 5 Dels from her on Day 2 now. I am going to buy a hygrometer in the morning and am aiming for keeping the humidty around 50% and then day 18, pushing it up to near 70%. I am

because I really really want these Suede babies. Adding to say...whatever Cyn tells me to do that is what I will do. She knows her eggs and how to do this stuff.​

 

[Germaine_11.20]

My very first hatch I followed the 40-50 rule during 1-18 then went 60-70 for the last three days. I had 19 out of 20 hatch.

Then I got to reading and tried experimenting and I did not have nearly as good hatches as the first one.
So I am going to try the first way again and see what happens.

I am pretty sure I had my humidity too high at hatch. I had some sticky chicks. Did not even realize they were but nivtup helped me out there and bam! The light went on.
It also depends on where you live and your relative humidity in the room and air.
If you aren't having a good hatch, tweak it a little and see. Tweak until it works. Plus there are some eggs that seem to need a bit more humidity than others.

 

[JewellFarm]

I just hatched 12 out of 15 polish. I always keep mine the same. Low humidity 30-40 percent for the first 18 days then 50-60 for the remaining time.

Everyone has their own little methods, just do some tweaking till you find what works for you.