What is the ideal humidity for hatching in an incubator?

[oregonkat]

I'm so curious to find out how you did with your hatches that were set to hatch March 2nd and March 7th. How did they do? I have 8 Isbars in an incubator and 3 under a broody and set to go into lockdown on Thursday. I'm a little worried as my air cells are small, but my humidity was running at 60% so I'm dropping it down today and hoping to get larger air cells going before lockdown.

Hi Friend, your humidity was very high for your initial incubation period. Do you have an independent calibrated hygrometer in your bator that you trust? How do your air cells in the bator compare to the ones under your broody? Yes, yes lower your humidity and don't add anything until you get your first pip and then monitor where the pip happens on the egg. We will talk this weekend!

 

[Anagram]

Hi Friend, your humidity was very high for your initial incubation period. Do you have an independent calibrated hygrometer in your bator that you trust? How do your air cells in the bator compare to the ones under your broody? Yes, yes lower your humidity and don't add anything until you get your first pip and then monitor where the pip happens on the egg. We will talk this weekend!

Thanks so much!! Yes did all of that last night. Calibrated and it said it was 12% high (so the humidity was at 63% after 12 hours) late calibration though, should have done much sooner. Due to the small air cells, I Took all water out of the incubator last night. Checked my broody last night also and her air cells are right on of course. User error. Darn it all. Supposed to lock down on Thursday.

 

[VanUnamed]

My 2nd batch, I kept the humidity low. I added a tablespoon of water, maybe less. Climate is dry here, every time i saw humidity at about 35%, i added some water, it spiked for a bit to 50% and then stayed 42-45% for several hours. Put in 26 eggs, 3 infertile, 2 half developed, 1 fully grown chick, dead, yolk not absorbed. (this one i saw the egg rock and rock but it didn't make it. Moisture at the end was raised to 70% and above. All the other hatched healthy, 90% hatched within 24 hours, there were a couple that took a bit longer. nothing out of the ordinary. Hope it helps !