Incubator Humidity

[jennyhenny54]

Ok so I know this topic comes with a lot of debate! LOL I have eggs in a Little Giant incubator and my humidity level has been 65ish. I have read a lot about the humidity being to high will cause the chicks to drown...Please advise. Also I have some eggs from my Mille Fluer in there. Will those eggs hatch earlier? I have heard they are harder to hatch. Any advise on this topic as well. Thank you.

 

[AlleysChicks]

So humidity. When I first started hatching I freaked out about it. It isn’t a set number, you adjust it as needed. Some people say about 35% for the first 18 days. My chicks would drown. I have to run dry (no water added by me) because the area where my incubator is has high humidity. That being said you should base your humidity on the size of the air cells of your eggs. If they are too big, add water. It is easier to add water to too big air cells than it is to take water away on too small air cells.

Another thing to mention is egg color. The lighter the eggs the quicker the air cell expands in size. The darker the egg, the harder it is to expand the air cell. Pigment of the egg shell effects the growth of the air cell.

I am adding a pic of where the air cell should be size wise for the day you are on.

Now about your Millie. It’s a bantam so MAY hatch early but not necessarily. They are no harder to hatch than other chicken eggs.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Sorry for hijacking the thread but, I haven’t added any water and my humidity stays at about 51-52%. Is there any way to get it down or is it okay like this??

 

[AlleysChicks]

Sorry for hijacking the thread but, I haven’t added any water and my humidity stays at about 51-52%. Is there any way to get it down or is it okay like this??

do you have multiple hygrometers to check to make sure that’s accurate? Sometimes 1 will get crazy numbers so backups are great.

I’ve not really had a really high humidity like that but have read on here that people put dry rice to try to drop the humidity.

 

[HuffleClaw]

do you have multiple hygrometers to check to make sure that’s accurate? Sometimes 1 will get crazy numbers so backups are great.

I’ve not really had a really high humidity like that but have read on here that people put dry rice to try to drop the humidity.

It’s accurate. Possibly Alabama weather?

 

[AlleysChicks]

It’s accurate. Possibly Alabama weather?

probably, humidity in the room can affect it. Can you move rooms to see if it makes a difference? Do you currently have eggs in there?

 

[HuffleClaw]

probably, humidity in the room can affect it. Can you move rooms to see if it makes a difference? Do you currently have eggs in there?

Yes eggs on day 1 (started at day 0).

 

[AlleysChicks]

Yes eggs on day 1 (started at day 0).

ok keep track of the air cell like the pic I posted above.

 

[jennyhenny54]

Thank you for your reply!! I am so excited to get some babies!! My mille that I have now is the cutest thing ever!!

 

[JaeG]

Chicks don't actually drown - there just isn't enough oxygen in the air cell to sustain them until they can externally pip if the air cell hasn't grown big enough.

As AllysChicks said candling is important to monitor how the air cells are growing (plus its fascinating seeing those babies developing).

With my incubator I just fill a little cup initially because filling any of the wells causes the humidity to be too high. That said I incubated quail eggs at around 80% last summer when it was extremely humid (plus I was naughty and kept setting batches so I had staggered hatches) and I had no problems. But they were all very fresh eggs from my birds which probably helped, plus quail eggs are so tiny they must lose moisture more easily. I also have my temperature on the warm side because its temperature that's the biggest factor in assisting moisture from the egg to evaporate, especially in small, hobby incubators.

Good luck with your hatch. They are going to be adorable chicks!