Thoughts on humidity

[LLranch]

The question what is the perfect humidity comes up a lot and what's perfect for me is most likely not going to be best for you. Something I think maybe a big factor that I have not seen discussed is humidity in still air vs. Forced air incubators. For instance I have a homemade cooler incubator with a pancake fan similar to a computer fan only larger that is 110 volt. I don't know the CFM on this fan but it moves 5 or 10 more times more air than a computer fan it's like a hurricane in there LOL. It works great to keep the temperature consistent throughout the incubator but I end up running 45 to 50% humidity to get the proper amount of evaporation and air cell growth in the 18 days. It has only two half inch vent holes. This got me to wondering do the people who have the best luck and proper air cell growth with low humidity or dry incubation have still air incubators or fans that move the air very slowly and calmly throughout the incubator. Consider this if my house is like the incubator with 30% humidity and I take two wet sponges and lay them on my countertop to represent the eggs and blow a fan briskly across one sponge and not the other we know the one with the fan will dry out lose moisture faster then the one in still air. I look forward to having a meaningful discussion on this idea please don't argue

 

[AmyLynn2374]

The question what is the perfect humidity comes up a lot and what's perfect for me is most likely not going to be best for you. Something I think maybe a big factor that I have not seen discussed is humidity in still air vs. Forced air incubators. For instance I have a homemade cooler incubator with a pancake fan similar to a computer fan only larger that is 110 volt. I don't know the CFM on this fan but it moves 5 or 10 more times more air than a computer fan it's like a hurricane in there LOL. It works great to keep the temperature consistent throughout the incubator but I end up running 45 to 50% humidity to get the proper amount of evaporation and air cell growth in the 18 days. It has only two half inch vent holes. This got me to wondering do the people who have the best luck and proper air cell growth with low humidity or dry incubation have still air incubators or fans that move the air very slowly and calmly throughout the incubator. Consider this if my house is like the incubator with 30% humidity and I take two wet sponges and lay them on my countertop to represent the eggs and blow a fan briskly across one sponge and not the other we know the one with the fan will dry out lose moisture faster then the one in still air. I look forward to having a meaningful discussion on this idea please don't argue

Very good points and thoughts. I've thought about humidity myself in regards to type, size and materials of the incubator.

I used an old LG with the commercial fan installed for 2 1/2 years. I found that 30%ish at incubation for standard eggs works best for me. During late spring and summer I can do this running dry.
I use a high humidity at hatch because I am hands on. I use 70-75 starting at lockdown.

I was helping someone a couple years ago that had a small home made incubator. They were trying to get their humidity up to 70% for hatch. Their hygrometer had been tested. She showed me a pic of the incubator, it was rain forest city...lol condensation all over the place. When I saw how small the incubator was and the lack of a fan, I realized what she was dealing with. She didn't need anywhere near 70%. I also realized how important it is to find out what kind of incubator and whether it's still or forced air in order to best help someone. I can hit 90% with no condensation.

This year I bought a Hovabator 1583. Which has the factory installed fan and I'm finding the humidity needs similar to my LG. Temps are more steady and it's much more consistent.

 

[LLranch]

Very good points and thoughts. I've thought about humidity myself in regards to type, size and materials of the incubator.

I used an old LG with the commercial fan installed for 2 1/2 years. I found that 30%ish at incubation for standard eggs works best for me. During late spring and summer I can do this running dry.
I use a high humidity at hatch because I am hands on. I use 70-75 starting at lockdown.

I was helping someone a couple years ago that had a small home made incubator. They were trying to get their humidity up to 70% for hatch. Their hygrometer had been tested. She showed me a pic of the incubator, it was rain forest city...lol condensation all over the place. When I saw how small the incubator was and the lack of a fan, I realized what she was dealing with. She didn't need anywhere near 70%. I also realized how important it is to find out what kind of incubator and whether it's still or forced air in order to best help someone. I can hit 90% with no condensation.

This year I bought a Hovabator 1583. Which has the factory installed fan and I'm finding the humidity needs similar to my LG. Temps are more steady and it's much more consistent.

You bringing up the materials an incubator is made from makes me think about a Broody hen. She can't possibly have any understanding of relative humidity yet she controls evaporation through skin contact and restricting airflow around her clutch. Maybe a still air incubator is more natural? I noticed in a different thread you may be incubating pea eggs in the future for a friend. I have 3 pea eggs now should have 4 Monday evening plan to set them in the incubator then. I have two incubators so I'm going to do a staggered rotating hatch with the first 15 eggs She lays and then let her have a try at the rest hope my other peahen starts laying soon

 

[AmyLynn2374]

You bringing up the materials an incubator is made from makes me think about a Broody hen. She can't possibly have any understanding of relative humidity yet she controls evaporation through skin contact and restricting airflow around her clutch. Maybe a still air incubator is more natural? I noticed in a different thread you may be incubating pea eggs in the future for a friend. I have 3 pea eggs now should have 4 Monday evening plan to set them in the incubator then. I have two incubators so I'm going to do a staggered rotating hatch with the first 15 eggs She lays and then let her have a try at the rest hope my other peahen starts laying soon

It's awesome how natural instinct works. I wish people were more in tuned with natural instincts.

I'm hoping to. I have a friend who's been looking for some and I can't have any but would love to get the experience of hatching other types of fowl/poultry. I did guineas last year for my nephew. Good luck on your peas!