What is the ideal humidity for hatching in an incubator?

[eggbeforchicken]

I live in the uk my first set of eggs I run at 50% to 55% and out of 12
I got 2 that hatch 3 had full set of yellow down but did not pip and the rest was infertile
I must say they was from ebay and where in the post

I have got my second set of 15 in the incubator now at 36% to 40% I got these eggs from a chicken farmer
and he told me to put no water in or very little water in for the first 18 days then add water which I have
done I am on day 19 at the moment my humidity is 52% to 60% the old boy told me
also on the 5th day turn the hell out of the eggs
just for day 5 he told me the hen sitting on the eggs keep shuffling them

hope this helps I am like you I read all different things humidity
take care

 

[Tyaloria]

Wiki just advised putting a damp sponge in there?

 

[Pinkaboo]

I live in the uk  my first set of eggs I run at 50% to 55% and out of 12
I got 2 that hatch 3 had full set of yellow down but did not  pip and the rest was infertile
I must say they was from ebay and where in the post

I have got my second set of 15 in the incubator now at 36% to 40%  I got these eggs from a chicken farmer
and he told me to put no water in or very little water in for the first 18 days  then add water  which I have
done I am on day 19   at the moment  my humidity is 52% to 60% the old boy told me  
also  on the 5th day turn the hell out of the eggs
just for day 5  he told me the hen sitting on the eggs keep shuffling them

hope this helps  I am like you I read all different things humidity
take care

Hi I'm in Cornwall and I've been told the same as you, humidity is high here so don't add water till day 18 BUT all the local farmers are saying I need water in the incubator, did yours hatch ok? I'm measuring my humidity and its at 65 without any water

 

[eggbeforchicken]

hi yes out of 15 I got 7 hatched I had to help 4 out the shell 1 died at day two
but they was all big chicks not sure they had room to zip

I have 12 more in at moment with no water humidity is 22% to 27%
so I am waiting now they are at day 16

65% maybe to high can you open vents what day are you on? let me know now you get on

good luck and take care
liam

 

[Pinkaboo]

Hi I'm only on day five!
I don't think I have a vent but ill look, I wondered how you reduced humidity
I've just cancelled the eggs and seen 6 embryos so exciting to think they are all potential
Mine are from eBay too bresse galoise a white chicken.

If yours are too big then that means still too much humidity doesn't it?
Too much absorbed into the egg, makes the air sac smaller ans chick bigger?
I'd be terrified helping it hatch I've heard too many horror stories about damaging them?

It must be amazing when they hatch well done x

 

[blucoondawg]

I run low humidity I fill my incubator completely and let the humidity be at whatever it is from the moisture leaving the eggs, but I fill my incubator with eggs, a small load will not give off the same amount of moisture as a full load. My last hatch was between 25 and 40% mostly in the mid to upper 30s, I got 26 chicks out of 35 eggs that were developing, my incubator holds 40 or 42 eggs. My current hatch as we speak is doing well, this time the humidity has stayed in the 20s with an absolute peak of maybe 30 and that was only for a short time otherwise in the mid to lower 20s, so far my hatch is going well. I add water at day 18 up to 60% then when the chicks begin to hatch it adds even more moisture and the windows fog up so I cannot see inside, which is where I am at right now, it is irritating because I cannot tell if any are having problems, oh well I will let nature take it's course.

 

[MrsBachbach]

BE CAREFUL where cracking the other eggs..  I was doing that and on about the 3rd or 4th hatching I crack one and that thing blew up on me..



STINK... whew...  /img/smilies/hide.gif    /img/smilies/hide.gif   /img/smilies/ep.gif


I had a mess to clean up... Luckily I didn't get to much on the carpet and washed the wood work up pretty good before the little woman got home.... /img/smilies/lau.gif   /img/smilies/lau.gif   /img/smilies/hide.gif


What I was doing was holding the egg in my hand.. Cracking the big end, and peeling the shell back to see what was inside..   But that one just blew up on me..


So now I just wait 2-4 days longer, then just toss the eggs..

LOL! I was throwing some old eggs that didn't hatch out in the woods and one blew up! Sounding like a gun going off. I will always think twice now before peeking inside.

 

[eggbeforchicken]

what sort of incubator have you ?
and what is the outside humidity like out side the incubator in the room its in ?

have they are if you want to look
take care
pinkaboo

 

[eggbeforchicken]

you can put a towel over the glass and it will not steam up so much just remove it to look inside

 

[eggbeforchicken]

I only crack the ones that are pip and are not doing well maybe I should not but all bar one are doing well