What is the ideal humidity for hatching in an incubator?

[makundi]

I am using the rotating approach as yours, but i am using the recommended humidity by the machine producer, the incubator is set at 60%, I am not planning to increase in the last 3 days, because the eggs have different schedules as yours. Now i am looking for a flat Humidity level for all days.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have the incubator , I and i want to use it as a rotating hatching,(putting eggs in different days/different batches I am asking the humidity level which will be optimal for all days, it is set at 60% for all 21 hatching days.

Having the humidity to high the first 18 days is not a good thing---do some research on that. Having it to low on the later days is not a good thing. Opening the incubator at will to remove a hatched chick is not a good thing. Trying to place eggs in it at different times and also hatching them out in the same incubator is not a good thing. How are you going to keep it clean stagering the hatches? My incubator has been running for months, 24/7, eggs added "Once" each week, BUT, I move the 18 day eggs into a Hatcher, which is at a higher humidity. The eggs hatch, I shut the hatcher down, remove the chicks, CLEAN the hatcher, then get it ready for the next batch of eggs.

I would suggest you pick up another incubator without a turner to use as a hatcher, I feel you will have alot better hatches. Good Luck!

 

[WinterChicks]

I have a homemade still-air incubator- 5 gallon container, observation window and 43watt bulb.

What should my humidity be?

I have read 1-18 days %60-%65 last we days &80-%85
What say my fellow BYCers?

 

[PD-Riverman]

I have a homemade still-air incubator- 5 gallon container, observation window and 43watt bulb.

What should my humidity be?

I have read 1-18 days %60-%65 last we days &80-%85
What say my fellow BYCers?

I like being in the 40's for the first 18 days and in the 70's the last 3. Now a question, what type thermostat are you using to keep the temp stable?

 

[WinterChicks]

I like being in the 40's for the first 18 days and in the 70's the last 3. Now a question, what type thermostat are you using to keep the temp stable?

I am using a 'home thermostat' from Walmart, it shows the humidity and temp and the highest and lowest it has gotten of both.

We couldn't afford much more then that.

 

[PD-Riverman]

I am using a 'home thermostat' from Walmart, it shows the humidity and temp and the highest and lowest it has gotten of both.

We couldn't afford much more then that.

Sounds like you have a thermometer from Walmarts----not a thermostat. A thermostat will control the temp inside the incubator. A thermometer will read the temp in the bator. Without a thermostat---your heat will rise the higher the temp gets in the room the bator is in as well as drop the cooler the room gets. A incubator needs to stay as steady as possible---around 100 degree's. Lowes carries a hot water heater thermostat for around $9---it can be modified to work..

 

[WinterChicks]

Sounds like you have a thermometer from Walmarts----not a thermostat. A thermostat will control the temp inside the incubator. A thermometer will read the temp in the bator. Without a thermostat---your heat will rise the higher the temp gets in the room the bator is in as well as drop the cooler the room gets. A incubator needs to stay as steady as possible---around 100 degree's. Lowes carries a hot water heater thermostat for around $9---it can be modified to work..

Yea, thermometer. I'm not sure my mom would buy that for me since she bought this one. And I don't have the money.... I am buying rabbits and have to wait until I get them.

Since last post:

Humidity: 51

Temp: 86

Maybe my room would be better- it's always very warm.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Yea, thermometer. I'm not sure my mom would buy that for me since she bought this one. And I don't have the money.... I am buying rabbits and have to wait until I get them.

Since last post:

Humidity: 51

Temp: 86

Maybe my room would be better- it's always very warm.

Well do this, Don't put any eggs in the incubator till you get the incubator staying at around 100/101 degree's steady. It will kill the "egg" if you stay/get much higher and you will not incubate properly if you are a few degree's below that.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

If the hottest your incubator gets with the 43 watt bulb is 86F then you'll need a higher watt bulb. As mentioned the hot water heater thermostats work fairly well for moderating temp and I've read of people using only a dimmer switch to manually adjust the bulb. If your house temperature is steady the dimmer works very well, the hot water thermostat takes some fiddling with for best placement and smallest temperature swing. Place it very close to bulb.

Hatching an egg requires 99.5F internal egg temp. To achieve this in a still air incubator (at least a purchased table top model) set temperature to 101.5F measured at top of eggs. Hot air rises, and mean temp from bottom to top of egg should be 99.5F. You could take temp reading at bottom of incubator (bottom of eggs) and add the difference of that reading from 99.5 to 99.5 to find the temp reading at top of eggs that would work for you. Ex. bottom temp reads 98F, add 1.5 to 99.5= you'd want to maintain 101F at top level of eggs.

 

[WinterChicks]

Well do this, Don't put any eggs in the incubator till you get the incubator staying at around 100/101 degree's steady. It will kill the "egg" if you stay/get much higher and you will not incubate properly if you get a few degree's below that.

I am just test running it right now...in fact I don't have any fertile eggs.. my banty is laying fertiles so I might hatch them..

Is there anything to know about hatching banty eggs?