Lockdown humidity?

[chuckachucka]

I currently have a single bantam egg in my incubator (the only one remaining from a batch of duds from ebay).

My question is about lockdown humidity. I have heard that bantam eggs do better with slightly higher humidity, but what about for lockdown? Assuming that the eggs follow the guideline air cell sizes during the first 18 days, what is the optimum humidity for lockdown for bantam eggs? Is it the same as for large fowl eggs?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Sorry you got dud eggs, that’s why I stay clear of eBay for them.

Personally I’ve found at least 65% often nearer 70% works just fine for both bantam and large fowl eggs. I’ve hatched both bantam and LF together with no issues.

 

[chuckachucka]

Thanks. I'm relatively new to incubating without a hen, and have had bad experiences with wet late chicks before. So I a bit scared of humidity! I'm going to aim for 65%.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Wet late chicks would be more indicative of a more persistent high humidity over the entire incubation period. Have you candled to check on air cell size?

Do you have a plan if you only have the one chick hatch? They always do so much better with company as keeping a single chick happy is hard work.

 

[chuckachucka]

Yes that's what I thought, so this time I have used a lower humidity throughout (38-42% instead of the usual 45-50). The air cell is looking good.

I don't really have a plan at this point. This will be the first time I've had a solo chick that wasn't with a broody. There were actually two eggs that developed but one quit around day 7, unfortunately.

No one is selling baby chicks where I live so I will have to raise it on it's own. I don't work so will be home all day with it and I have a serama that lives in the house who the chick could at least see and hear from a distance.