Everyone has their own version of the "best humidity" temp to keep incubating eggs at - I' always did what the recommended is which is 50-55% - But I know a lot of people have different results based on locations - places with more humidity around than others - so what is the best one that gives better overall results - we sometimes get a bit of a higher humidity and sometimes we don't - meaning we have to adjust accordingly sometimes- I have a auto humidity set up which will keep it adjust at the selected humidity temp which to me is the best way to go for those with humidity changes or like when I first started paranoid it went too high or not enough That said - with various people who hatch eggs - what is the best success in hatches based on humidity temp - some say 40/45% others say 50/55% etc- I just want to see what the overall population comes out with and go from there Thanks Tiff
For me personally I found incubating at 40-45% and lockdown at 65% works. I've hatched chicken and duck eggs at that and had very good results. ETA: Some hatchers swear by the "dry" method. I haven't tried this myself, but you may find this interesting: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/how-to-incubate-hatch-eggs-using-the-dry-incubation-method
Not sure there is one "best" but there are probably some not as good over an extended period. My incubator manufacturer (Brinsea) recommends40-50% for incubation and 60-70% for lockdown. That said, my first hatch was a winter hatch and I had trouble keeping even 40%. I kept it barely (sometimes it fell below), but I had 100% hatch rate. Then some people who hatched more recommended keeping it at the 50% rate which I found easier to do as the weather warmed up and became more humid. My last hatch was in the summer and my humidity started out at 65% and I had to get it down., I did this by not adding water and keeping the vents open. Only added water once before lockdown, and all my eggs hatched. So I do think there is some leeway. The major concern seems to be humidity too low during hatching, but once the eggs start hatching, that can raise the humidity.
As of now our outside humidity is 77% - which will change in day or so- I plan on starting some eggs here soon of our bigger birds - our usual issue is chicks too big to hatch on their own - even when our one broody hen just hatched hers - chicks were too large to hatch themselves- she only had 1 that was successful on its own - So I was wondering if based on humidity created larger chicks even for her or we just tend to pop out fairly good sized chicks- we've had good and bad hatches- Some loss and they all hatch themselves- or some hatches where I've had to assist the majority being they were too large and twisted to fully do it on their own- we have not lost any who hatched or I've had to assist - except 1 who sadly had feet issues ( various reasons why that could of occurred) from broody hen hatch- Humidity I agree is the main problem with hatching no matter what system used beside keeping proper temp- I was think of trying a tad bit different humidity temp with this up coming batch to see if makes for easier hatching for the chicks