Low hatch rate…why?

[HuskerChickMom]

I have hatched 3 batches now and am still only getting about a 50% hatch rate. All eggs are fertile, when I candle at a week there’s usually only a couple that are duds, but when I candle at 14 days about half of them are quitters. My first hatch I had the humidity at about 55% then the last two I went down to 49%, but that didn’t help. I bump it up to 70% on day 18 and all my eggs that have made it to that point hatch wonderfully so I’m just wondering what I’m doing wrong during the first part. I have the temp set at 99.5. Also, I live in Nebraska as I know sometimes ppl say that has an effect on what the incubator settings should be. Any suggestions?

 

[SilverBirds]

A lot of sites say to increase humidity to 70% but I think it's to high. If they all made to day 18 and then you bumped the humidity by 20% I think that is the problem. I normally go to 55-60%, sometimes 65%.

 

[sdm111]

Get the humidity down to about 35 % 1-18 then go up at 18

 

[HuskerChickMom]

Get the humidity down to about 35 % 1-18 then go up at 18

I will try that on the next batch. I’ve been Leary of going too low. Do you think they are quitting because not enough moisture is coming off the eggs?

 

[Lemon-Drop]

What incubator is it? Do you have a second calibrated thermometer/hygrometer in there?

 

[HuskerChickMom]

What incubator is it? Do you have a second calibrated thermometer/hygrometer in there?

My incubator is a Nurture Right 360. I don’t have a separate thermometer/hygrometer. I’ll try to find one.

 

[abenardini]

My incubator is a Nurture Right 360. I don’t have a separate thermometer/hygrometer. I’ll try to find one.

Amazon sells very inexpensive sets of hygrometer/temperature readers. I use 3-4 inside of my incubators in different areas to get a good feeling the controls are working as expected. My genesis was auto set to 100 when I got it, and it now sits at 100.2 because I was seeing dips too low in certain areas of the incubator. the 99.5 might be the culprit if you are experiencing similar dips pushing you into the higher 98s - it can happen.

Edited to include link to the readers I use: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07GNMKYCZ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[K0k0shka]

50% humidity is too high for the first 18 days. Get it down to around 30%. Some people go even lower ("dry hatch method"). Better low than high, if you have to err on one side. Then up to 70% or thereabouts at lockdown. You also need a separate calibrated thermometer and hygrometer in there.

 

[Tonyroo]

Here's a suggestion,

Know your indoor humidity so the incubator can be adjusted.

Maintain humidity in the incubator at 35 to 45% day 1 to 18.

When handling the incubator or eggs, always sanitize your hands and keep the area of incubator clean.