What should the humidity be?

[PippinTheChicken]

Everybody has their own way of doing incubation. I’ve been doing dry incubation for about two years. not trying to convince you to do it this way, just offering it as an option.

Well i mean, if you do it dry and it works, I don't need to worry too much about low humidity!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Thank you so much for your help!

 

[PippinTheChicken]

This is my only chance to get d'uccles, so i want it to go well.
I've been searching for these eggs for months and they were quite expensive so I hope it works

 

[LadiesAndJane]

This is my only chance to get d'uccles, so i want it to go well.
I've been searching for these eggs for months and they were quite expensive so I hope it works

I know! Best of luck!

 

[FeatherTay]

I agree with @LadiesAndJane, but I incubate at 35% and turn it up to 45% for lockdown.

 

[Lizzy733]

This is my only chance to get d'uccles, so i want it to go well.
I've been searching for these eggs for months and they were quite expensive so I hope it works

I know that feeling. I just spent heaps on show line BBS Orpingtons and almost as much on shipping.

They came a long way very quickly though.. lots of loose air cells and I've culled 5/12 so far in clears and early quitters. The rest are seemingly good - two I'm still eyeing as I didn't have a baby jump up to greet me on day 8 candle, but vascular systems looked good. Hoping they were sleeping when I candled.

I've weighed mine with a gram scale, since this is my first incubator hatch. They had their first weigh-in at day 6 and everyone had lost an appropriate amount.

My incubator hydrometer is way out (like 15-20%), so I have it set to alarm below 30%, which is when the other hydrometers will dip below 45-50.

I end up topping it up a tiny bit once or twice a day and that number shoots up for a few hours to around 60(internal sensor) before slowly ticking back down.

It, just like temperature is more of a general thing. There's a target, but it doesn't have to be exactly on the target all the time and fluctuation doesn't seem to detriment the eggs. If you need to drop humidity fast, Open Ng the incubator does a good job, but may make your temps fluctuate for a bit.
I'm not worried about it being open long enough for the eggs to cool, but the incubator does spawn off a few hotspots when bringing things back up to temp, which happened after my day 6 weigh in.

I'm going into day 9 with 14/22 shipped eggs all looking to be in good condition with active embryos as of yesterday. All the infertile and early quitters are gone so should be easy sailing to hatch from here. Their next weigh in is on day 12.

 

[Mrs J]

I'm incubating some bantam eggs and it's the first day. I set them a few hours ago.
My hygrometer is reading 56%
I am using a Brinsea Advance mini II
I did some research but I can't get a straight answer!
"Guidelines suggest an average humidity level of 50-55%. A figure of 70-75% relative humidity is a good target to have in mind in lockdown"
" first 18 days should be able 60 percent. During the last 3 days. the relative humidity should be nearer 65-70 percent."
"Most people (unless they practice dry incubation) shoot for 40-50% for the first 18 days of incubation and then raise it to 65-75% for the final three days"

Is 56% okay? what should I aim for?

I have the exact same incubator and for the first 18 days I aim for 45-50% humidity. The last 3, 60-65%, My last hatch was 11 out of 12 eggs, but everyone has their own way of doing things, I don’t stress the last 3 days if it goes up to 70%. Best of luck

 

[Mrs J]

Well i mean, if you do it dry and it works, I don't need to worry too much about low humidity!

I think everyone gets to fixated on humidity, I know I’ve had meltdowns over it, really anxious. My uncle is a farmer (I never ask him things because he would shake his head and think I am thick ) but he’s old school, his eggs were under a broody, they had pipped when she abandoned them, I told him to use my incubator, he said “if it’s a good strong chick, it’ll hatch out out no matter what..and put them on top of his Aga for the warmth…they hatched they didn’t shrink wrap or anything

 

[PippinTheChicken]

It's up to 60-63% now

 

[Brooks_]

It's up to 60-63% now

Open the vent a little more.