What should humidity level be?

[Preschool]

I have been reading posts all day long and cannot seem to find a correct number for what the humidity level should be? All your information has been wonderful! Help!

 

[chickee]

I have very good luck with keeping my humidity at 40% day 1 thru day 18 and 65% for day 18 thru 21. I just had a 100% hatch on shipped eggs. GOOD LUCK!

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Anywhere around the 40% range works for me the first 18 days, then I try to bump it no higher than 70% for the last 3 days of incubation.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

You are going to get many different answers to this question. I use 50% then 65% for lockdown. Good luck and just remember to get yourself an average and try to find what works best for you.

 

[chickee]

More importantly make sure your hygrometer is accurate! Read about using the salt test to calibrate it

 

[wpalmisano]

I am pretty close to what everyone else does. Have a GQF Sportsman 1502, keep humidity around 50% until day 18, then I move them to the bottom hatcher and bump it up to 65-70%. Sometimes I have multiple batches of eggs that are due weeks apart, so I will try to keep it around 65%. Some people recommend much higher humidity, but through trial and error it seems to work. Also, you might be surprised how much outside humidity can effect the humidity in your incubator. Right now, its cold and dry outside and it runs a little low, in July, it always skyrockets, even indoors. With mallards, pheasants, and quail, I set higher humidity by using a piece of sponge.