What Humidity Should I Put my Incubator at?

[lmadeline146]

It’s my first time using an incubator to hatch eggs? and I was curious about what humidity level to set the incubator to. I’ve seen people talk a lot about dry hatching, but I don’t think I’m ready for that ad it seems difficult and I’ve already started my first batch of eggs. The current level is 43-45. Should I decrease or increase for better hatch rates? I’m using the NR 360.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It’s my first time using an incubator to hatch eggs? and I was curious about what humidity level to set the incubator to. I’ve seen people talk a lot about dry hatching, but I don’t think I’m ready for that ad it seems difficult and I’ve already started my first batch of eggs. The current level is 43-45. Should I decrease or increase for better hatch rates? I’m using the NR 360.

Is the current humidity with or without adding water? Dry hatching is actually very simple and easier than trying to mess with the humidity. All you do is leave the incubator be and at lock down add some water to bring up the humidity a little.

 

[lmadeline146]

Is the current humidity with or without adding water? Dry hatching is actually very simple and easier than trying to mess with the humidity. All you do is leave the incubator be and at lock down add some water to bring up the humidity a little.

I have water added to keep the humidity atm. Is it too late to dry hatch after the eggs being in the incubator for 20ish hours?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I have water added to keep the humidity atm. Is it too late to dry hatch after the eggs being in the incubator for 20ish hours?

Not at all you can just let the water that's in there evaporate on its own and leave it be after that. My last batch I dry incubated and had a 100% hatch rate from my flocks eggs.

 

[lmadeline146]

Not at all you can just let the water that's in there evaporate on its own and leave it be after that. My last batch I dry incubated and had a 100% hatch rate from my flocks eggs.

What should the humidity be? I heard around 35?

 

[FunClucks]

It's not about humidity - it's about weight loss of the eggs. When you weigh your eggs just prior to setting them, that's the initial weight. They should lose 11-13% of their weight by day 18. You increase or decrease the humidity to achieve the correct moisture/weight loss from the eggs. There are also pictures on this forum of what the air cells should look like relative to the rest of the egg, and how much they should recede before Day 18, so you can do it that way also.

Then at day 18 you increase humidity so chicks can hatch into a humid environment. There are several great Articles in the Articles section of this website that go into the details for hatching humidity and temperature, and give recommendations, and have that air cell diagram/drawing. I'd suggest you take a look at those.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What should the humidity be? I heard around 35?

I actually don't really pay attention to the humidity with dry hatching. I weigh my eggs initially and then weigh a couple every time I candle. They have always been right on target (I like them at 12% weight loss for lockdown give or take 1%).

 

[FunClucks]

Also, for what it's worth, 43-45% humidity in the NR 360 sounds fine. The NR 360 is pretty foolproof. You fill side A with water for the first 18 days, then fill side B also to increase the humidity for hatch. The manufacturer has it all calibrated out on how much surface area you need, and you can fine tune by opening or closing the top front vent.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

On a side note I bought a couple cigar hygrometers, calibrated them and stuck them under both a broody duck and a broody chicken. Both hygrometers were reading the same as my hygrometer that was just sitting outside.

 

[lmadeline146]

I actually don't really pay attention to the humidity with dry hatching. I weigh my eggs initially and then weigh a couple every time I candle. They have always been right on target (I like them at 12% weight loss for lockdown give or take 1%).

Thank you for the help Do you happen to know your hatch rate after you dry hatched?