incubator humidity

[Saltysteele]

i was reading somewhere that you need to turn the humidity up in an incubator the last 7 days to 70% to soften the shells. i cannot find it now, and not sure if it's because that person was the only one who did this, or if i am just not looking in the right places.

is this necessary? i've got a 4 tray cabinet-style incubator, capable of 100 eggs per tray. i would like to start incubating some royal palm eggs, placing a batch in every week.

this incubator is from 1956, a tray incubator and does not have an automatic turner. so, being that i am going to turn them by hand anyway, as long as i do not have to increase the humidity, i should be able to have several batches starting at different times (2 batches per tray, and as the bottom tray hatches out, clean/disinfect the tray then put on top with new eggs, bump the other 3 trays down one slot while turning the eggs)

i've never hatched before, so this may seem like a stupid question to some. hopefully, the others will answer

if extra humidity is needed, would the extra humidity during the last week of batch A, hurt batch C?

also interested in the dry method

 

[clayb226]

According to this publication, you bump it up to 65%.

 

[llaaadyel]

You want closer to 75% to 80% humidity during lockdown, days 18-hatch.

 

[Jocasta]

It's only for the last three days, not 7. Have you considered getting a separate hatcher/brooder? You can make them rather inexpensively, especially as you don't need to turn the eggs during "lockdown" (The last three days). If the temps right, humidity can be significantly increased with a wet cloth at the bottom. I have heard of dry hatches but know absolutely nothing about the process.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

This works for me at my house.

First 18 days humidity no higher than 40% Last 3 days I bump to 70%. I incubate and hatch in the same incubator.

 

[Saltysteele]

thanks, all!!

out of curiosity, what would the higher humidity do to the eggs that weren't ready to hatch? would it drown the chicks, allow them to hatch prematurely?

anyone have any links to a simple, yet efficient hatcher to place the eggs in during lockdown?

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:
I never do staggered hatches so I'm no help on that question. I tried once and failed, never again!! lol

Look in the Search engine in blue at the top of the page, type in homemade hatchers and see what comes up.

 

[scbatz33]

Quote:
If the humidity is too high, the egg can not lose the appropriate amount of fluid during the first 18 days of incubation. An egg has to lose fluid in order for the chick to grow and develop properly.

If the humidity has been too high during the first 18 days the chick can suffer from mal-absorbtion of the egg sack, birth defects and ultimately drown when it pips internally

 

[Saltysteele]

makes sense

thanks!