Lockdown Humidity Question

[Leaguinea]

I have found for myself that humidity levels during incubation are specific to your environment/elevation
IE: I live in Southwestern Ontario. I have the best results when I dry incubate.
best for me is dry the full incubation (32 - 37%) and I don't lockdown until internal pipping, than I put a couple glasses of water in and raise the humidity to 58 - 62%.
We don't have air conditioning in the house so outside temps and humidity affect the incubator, last batch our weather was rainy with high humidity levels and during the incubation I could not get the humidity below 38% and most days it would climb up to 48% I lost half my eggs in the last 5 days of incubation.
Th ironic thing is this. That was my 3rd batch this year and the previous 2 batches both endured long power outages and it didn't seen to affect them in the least.

If anyone has tips on how to lower humidity I would be interested to know that information.
Best of luck on your hatch

 

[Mosey2003]

That is so bizarre, the differences. I know a group that runs it 65% clear through and gets perfect hatches, yet their hatch suffers under 60%. Some say anything over 50% and their suffers. Whereas mine are doing best right on the normal guidelines. I wonder why that is...

 

[lazy gardener]

I dry hatch with goal of 30 - 40% until day 17. But always, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, I let air cell and embryonic development guide my humidity and lock down decisions. If the air cells are not big enough to satisfy me, I run dry until first internal pip.

IMO, there is benefit in putting eggs in hatching position as early as day 14, and theoretically, you could stop turning eggs as early as day 14. But, I usually turn (by hand) until day 17-18.

If there's condensation on the walls/window, IMO that's too much moisture. Sponges are great, but be sure that the chicks can not contact sponges or access the water the sponges are in. I do not want chicks falling in the water, or dragging their umbilical stumps or hatching goo over a sponge.

Plugs: put them in the trash.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

@lazy gardener what do you personally look for on the air cells to determine if you add water or wait? Almost everything I read is conflicting. Do you have any tips for positioning them for optimal hatching?

 

[ronott1]

The canning rings & aquarium tubing is a really good idea! I may try that. Do you normally put the vent plugs back in? I test ran it for a couple days with 1 well having water and the humidity stayed at about 55%.

Vent plugs are for elevation not controlling humidity. You want as much ventilation as possible during lockdown. Chicks can suffocate if the humidity goes over 90% if the plugs are in. high humidity removes some of the oxygen

 

[ronott1]

That is so bizarre, the differences. I know a group that runs it 65% clear through and gets perfect hatches, yet their hatch suffers under 60%. Some say anything over 50% and their suffers. Whereas mine are doing best right on the normal guidelines. I wonder why that is...

It is because humidity during incubation is not super important. It can vary by 25% or so and make no difference in the hatch.

It is better to watch air cell development and adjust form that.

It is more important to work on stable incubation temps. Temperature can only vary about 1 degree for best hatching results

 

[KikiLeigh02]

Thank you! I've been wondering what the purpose of those really was.

Vent plugs are for elevation not controlling humidity. You want as much ventilation as possible during lockdown. Chicks can suffocate if the humidity goes over 90% if the plugs are in. high humidity removes some of the oxygen

 

[ronott1]

Thank you! I've been wondering what the purpose of those really was.

There is a debatable benefit to closing the vents during the first week of incubation. It is not clear if that really helps with hatch rates though and it is too easy to forget that they are closed. I had some die in the brinsea when the vent(has a slider not a plug) was accidentally closed one time.

I am very wary of vents now

 

[cmom]

I agree with most of the posters. I have had my best hatches when I incubate around 30% humidity. When I put the eggs in the hatcher I get it up to around 75% and have had good hatches. I put some eggs in the hatcher this morning. My last hatch will be in two weeks.

 

[lazy gardener]

@lazy gardener what do you personally look for on the air cells to determine if you add water or wait? Almost everything I read is conflicting. Do you have any tips for positioning them for optimal hatching?

There is a nifty little air cell development chart in the article that I am always quoting: "hatching eggs 101". As for positioning: If I've not been able to get the air cells as large as I would like to see, I will hatch the eggs upright in egg cartons. Prior to lock down, I mark the air cells, and even put an X on the lowest area of the air cell. This is most likely the "draw down" line. I lay the eggs flat, with that dip facing up. And, I place the eggs so that they are touching each other. When eggs are hatching, the chicks actually communicate with each other. Having the eggs touching is beneficial in that regard.

As for development: by lock down, the egg should appear to be full of chick, and not much else!