Incubator

[shahtir101]

What should my humidity be in my incubator heard many different things? What's the average?

 

[Ravynscroft]

I dry incubate as our ambient humidity is extremely high here, but believe the range is 30 to 55%??? Might be 45%...

 

[kuchchicks]

Humidity is one of those things that becomes variable based on what you have experienced and where you live. I know that most machine directions state 45%-55% during the first 17 days (if you are doing chickens) and then 65% for lockdown. I found my results to be terrible with these numbers. After lots of research I started to use the dry method and run mine at 30%-35% during the first 17 days and then 75% during lockdown. My last 3 hatches this year have been around 90%. The best thing to do is to find a number to start with and keep records. Depending on how your hatch does you will want to make changes either increasing or decreasing your humidity. The other big factor to watch are your air cells. If your air cells are too small, then your humidity is running too high. If your air cells are very large, then your humidity is too low. Now not all of your eggs are going to be exactly the same. My last hatch I had 3 eggs that extremely large air cells. The rest of my cells looked perfect so I ran my humidity for the majority. Unfortunately of those 3 eggs only one hatched. The other two stopped growing around day 17. Differences like that will be due to shell differences and porousness.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Humidity is one of those things that becomes variable based on what you have experienced and where you live. I know that most machine directions state 45%-55% during the first 17 days (if you are doing chickens) and then 65% for lockdown. I found my results to be terrible with these numbers. After lots of research I started to use the dry method and run mine at 30%-35% during the first 17 days and then 75% during lockdown. My last 3 hatches this year have been around 90%. The best thing to do is to find a number to start with and keep records. Depending on how your hatch does you will want to make changes either increasing or decreasing your humidity. The other big factor to watch are your air cells. If your air cells are too small, then your humidity is running too high. If your air cells are very large, then your humidity is too low. Now not all of your eggs are going to be exactly the same. My last hatch I had 3 eggs that extremely large air cells. The rest of my cells looked perfect so I ran my humidity for the majority. Unfortunately of those 3 eggs only one hatched. The other two stopped growing around day 17. Differences like that will be due to shell differences and porousness.

xs2 BTW kuchchicks, glad to hear your hatches are so much better!!!

I also run 30-35% and 75% for lockdown. If you are using a styrofoam bator and not in a high altitude, that seems to be one of the best ranges. A lot of Brinsea users have better luck with 40-45% If you are in a high altitude then a higher humidity and open vents work much better. I recommend reading this: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity it helps in undertsanding and controling humidity (based on air cells.)

 

[kuchchicks]

xs2 BTW kuchchicks, glad to hear your hatches are so much better!!!

Thanks! It has really become my addiction! LOL! I am running my last set of eggs for this year. I have been hatching back to back hatches since February. I know I am driving my husband nuts. I have 10 quail eggs right now that I am doing for a friend.

I also have 7 silkies/sizzles that I am trying to find homes for. I have built up my flock to the point that I want and just can't keep all of them. I am hoping they find homes soon... right now they are in my kitchen LOL!