Question on humidity.

[cochins1088]

I know there are many other threads about humidity, but I couldn't really find an answer for my particular question. I have ordered some expensive hatching egg and they should arrive on monday. They are being shipped. I want to give these guy the absolute best chance for hatching, though all I have is a styrofoam Hova Bator model 1602N (no egg turner or fan). I read in a few places that dry incubation often results with better hatch rates, so I'm going to try it. My questions is, can the humidity be too low during the first 18 days? Is there an absolute minimum that I need to stay above? Also I read that they shouldn't be turned for the first 3 days since they will have been shipped and their air sacs need to settle. Is this true? Any advice is welcome, thanks!

 

[ChickenPeep]

Hi!
I have never done dry incubation. However, my last hatch had a 95% hatch rate. I had 50% humidity the whole time and in the last few days I realized that it was just a little too high. If you were to consider non-dry incubation, I would go with 45%.
Unfortunately, I don't know what humidity would be good for dry incubation, sorry.

 

[cochins1088]

Ya, thats what I aim for and I had a 95% hatch rate with my first hatch, but my recent hatches have had a 50% hach rate and thats not going to cut it with these eggs, and I know that shipped eggs sometimes will just simply not develope because of being shipped. I just want to make sure everything is perfect, but I don't have the extra money to buy and another inucbator, or any of the extras like a fan or egg turner. I've read tons of stuff and know a lot about incubating. Yet I can't find out why my hatch rate has dropped so dramically, the eggs are plenty fertile. I don't know what I expect, but I was hopeing for tips for sucessful hatches. The lady I bought the eggs from sent me 2 articles to read, both of which recommended a $700 incubator, and in fact one said they would recommend anything but a styrofoam one, which is of course what I have.