Quote:
youngjedi here is the chart that shelleyd was talking about
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/60251_candlingsl8.jpg
At the bottom of the chart, it shows what the air cells shoulld look like at different days of candling. The thing to remember about humidity is that the humidity that works for one person and place might not work for you. The first time I incubated, I kept my humidity between 45% and 50% until lockdown and then increased it to 65%. I had some problems with sticky chicks because the humidity was too low for where I live for lockdown and hatching. What I do is keep my humidity around 45% now for the first 18 days and compare the air cells to the chart when I candle. If the cells are getting too big too fast, you would want to increase your humidity some. How much is hard to say but I wouldn't do more than say 5% at a time. If the air cells are really big at lockdown time, you want your humidity up around 70%. The eggs won't reabsorb water into the shells so you won't have to worry about them drowning in the shell when they internally pip and inside the incubator should be moist enough so the inner membrane shouldn't get too dry and they get stuck in the shell. It is a trial and error thing to really get a feel for what is right for where you live. The right humidity for where you live can change as the humidity in the air changes as well that is why there are going to be so many different numbers that are "right". IMO you are better off going "drier" on the first 18 days to let more of the moisture in the egg evaporate.
Sticky chicks can also be caused by having the humidity too high.
youngjedi here is the chart that shelleyd was talking about
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/60251_candlingsl8.jpg
At the bottom of the chart, it shows what the air cells shoulld look like at different days of candling. The thing to remember about humidity is that the humidity that works for one person and place might not work for you. The first time I incubated, I kept my humidity between 45% and 50% until lockdown and then increased it to 65%. I had some problems with sticky chicks because the humidity was too low for where I live for lockdown and hatching. What I do is keep my humidity around 45% now for the first 18 days and compare the air cells to the chart when I candle. If the cells are getting too big too fast, you would want to increase your humidity some. How much is hard to say but I wouldn't do more than say 5% at a time. If the air cells are really big at lockdown time, you want your humidity up around 70%. The eggs won't reabsorb water into the shells so you won't have to worry about them drowning in the shell when they internally pip and inside the incubator should be moist enough so the inner membrane shouldn't get too dry and they get stuck in the shell. It is a trial and error thing to really get a feel for what is right for where you live. The right humidity for where you live can change as the humidity in the air changes as well that is why there are going to be so many different numbers that are "right". IMO you are better off going "drier" on the first 18 days to let more of the moisture in the egg evaporate.
Sticky chicks can also be caused by having the humidity too high.
