incubator

[fil76]

this is my first time incubating chicks I have read different opinions on humidity for
the incubator can I use 40-50 for 18 days & then 75% for lockdown (fan assisted )
cheers fil

 

[chuckachucka]

40-50 for 18 days and then 60-75 is the most common recommendation, so it should be fine. I am currently incubating and my humidity has been around 47-49 so far, so I plan on increasing to 65 for lockdown. If my humidity was nearer the 40 mark I would plan for 70 at lockdown, but I have had problems with chicks hatching late and wet before so I'm trying to combat that.

 

[fil76]

this is my first time incubating chicks I have read different opinions on humidity for
the incubator can I use 40-50 for 18 days & then 75% for lockdown (fan assisted )
cheers fil

I think I will give this a try humidity 40-50 & lockdown 70%
cheers fil

 

[lazy gardener]

I use 30 - 40 followed by 65. Humidity is a tool to manage your air cell size. If your humidity is too high during the first 17 days, you have little alternative available to you to increase the air cell size so your chicks don't drown in the shell. If you run dryer, you can always increase humidity towards the end if needed to slow air cell growth.

No matter what you do, calibrate your equipment, especially your thermometers. A thermometer is totally useless if it's not calibrated.

 

[chuckachucka]

I use 30 - 40 followed by 65. Humidity is a tool to manage your air cell size. If your humidity is too high during the first 17 weeks, you have little alternative available to you to increase the air cell size so your chicks don't drown in the shell. If you run dryer, you can always increase humidity towards the end if needed to slow air cell growth.

No matter what you do, calibrate your equipment, especially your thermometers. A thermometer is totally useless if it's not calibrated.

If the humidity is a bit high (48-55) for, say, the first seven days, will any issues be corrected by reducing the humidity for the rest of incubation until lockdown, or is the damage already done?
I ask because my incubator has just stubbornly been maintaining humidity around 50 (despite adjusting water levels) and it's day six.

 

[lazy gardener]

Possibly. Maybe not. If you have a storm system come through towards the end of your incubation period it will be nearly impossible to make that critical adjustment at the end of your incubation period. That's why it's recommended to keep the numbers lower during the first 2 weeks. Simply take the water out of your incubator. Then, if the humidity is too low, put in a piece of damp sponge. You can adjust how much humidity is added based on the size of the sponge. Remember this. Humidity is controlled by surface area, not by water volume. In other words, if you have a pint of water that has a surface area of 4 sq. inches, and compare that to a cup of water that is spread out to have a surface area of 16 sq. inches, the latter case will increase your humidity more. Sponges have a huge relative surface area. I like working with them b/c it's super easy to make those little adjustments. If a piece of sponge that is 1" x 4" is not enough, I can add an other piece or two to get the number I'm looking for. I set the sponge in a cup of water, and it wicks the water up into the sponge.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

You can rollercoaster ride your humidity everyday until hatch day if you want. It does not affect the hatchability of the egg. What does affect things if if you didn't grow your air cell. The average humidity has to be such that the egg losses 12% mass, that mass is all moisture loss. If you run 50% humidity first 18 days there is very little chance you've lost enough moisture in egg.

Adjusting depth of water in a tray does nothing but make for more days the tray will last. Humidity in incubator is relative to surface area of water not the depth of it. Most incubators have troughs in bottom. You run incubator without any water in and see what your base humidity is. Fill the smallest trough in incubator and see what humidity is. If your target RH is less than that then add a small dish of water and see where RH is at. For me running without water in my climate results in about 22% RH If I add a small glass tumbler to stand to the side of egg turner it raises it to around 30% RH and that's where I like it. Before first pip I fill one trough in bottom and that jumps me to bit over 70% RH.

 

[Laodicia]

this is my first time incubating chicks I have read different opinions on humidity for
the incubator can I use 40-50 for 18 days & then 75% for lockdown (fan assisted )
cheers fil

based on the average humidity this site shows for your location https://www.weatheronline.co.uk/weather/maps/city?WMO=03334&CONT=ukuk&LAND=UK&ART=RLF&LEVEL=150
(assuming you are actually in Manchester)
I would recommend no added humidity for the first 18 days. unless the aircells seem to be getting too big. It's easier to correct too dry than it is to correct too humid. And if the air cells don't grow enough the chicks can drown during hatch.

 

[lazy gardener]

Outdoor relative humidity is not the bottom line though. It depends on what kind of heat you use, if any. I use wood heat. That really sucks the humidity out of my house. It could be 80% outside, and still only 10 - 11% in the house. Though a prolonged period of high humidity will eventually bring it up inside.

With winter incubation, I need to stay on top of my sponges. During spring incubation, based on weather, I may even be able to run dry up until lock down. Last spring, I adjusted to stay 30 - 40%, then had some rainy weather. I then had to run dry right up till first internal pip.

The important thing to know is this: humidity is a tool. And that tool needs to be understood and used correctly to achieve your desired air cell size.

 

[chuckachucka]

You can rollercoaster ride your humidity everyday until hatch day if you want. It does not affect the hatchability of the egg. What does affect things if if you didn't grow your air cell. The average humidity has to be such that the egg losses 12% mass, that mass is all moisture loss. If you run 50% humidity first 18 days there is very little chance you've lost enough moisture in egg.

Adjusting depth of water in a tray does nothing but make for more days the tray will last. Humidity in incubator is relative to surface area of water not the depth of it. Most incubators have troughs in bottom. You run incubator without any water in and see what your base humidity is. Fill the smallest trough in incubator and see what humidity is. If your target RH is less than that then add a small dish of water and see where RH is at. For me running without water in my climate results in about 22% RH If I add a small glass tumbler to stand to the side of egg turner it raises it to around 30% RH and that's where I like it. Before first pip I fill one trough in bottom and that jumps me to bit over 70% RH.

So, after humidity at 48-50 for the first six days, I've replaced the water container with a smaller one, aiming for 38-40%. Will that be ok or should I aim for lower after having humidity a bit high for six days? They are bantam eggs btw. I've read some people think bantams need slightly higher humidity.