What should the humidity be?

[PippinTheChicken]

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?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

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?

You will get as many opinions on this as there are members on BYC! I dry incubate because my ambient humidity is high and I usually have between 35 and 45% for the first 18 to 19 days and then go up to about 65% in lockdown.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

on 57% now

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Read up on this and other methods in the incubation threads. You can keep track of the air cells size to monitor your humidity and increase or decrease it based on these findings.

 

[Brooks_]

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?

My NR 360 often ran as high as 58%. Usually peaking after adding water and was lowest before adding water. Still had a successful hatch.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Read up on this and other methods in the incubation threads. You can keep track of the air cells size to monitor your humidity and increase or decrease it based on these findings.

I used weight last time. if they lose too much weight I can lower it?

 

[LadiesAndJane]

Do you know what your hygrometer readings were before you added any water to the incubator? Did you salt test your hygrometer to make sure it is accurate?

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Do you know what your hygrometer readings were before you added any water to the incubator? Did you salt test your hygrometer to make sure it is accurate?

I did the towel test. It read 99%

Spoiler: Towel test

Dampen a towel (not dripping wet, but good and damp), then wrap the hygrometer in the towel for 30 to 45 minutes. Then unwrap it and read the humidity (quickly). If your hygrometer is perfectly calibrated (few are) it will be reading exactly 100% humidity. Most likely, it will be reading somewhere between 80 and 90%.

 

[PippinTheChicken]

Do you know what your hygrometer readings were before you added any water to the incubator?

no. sorry

 

[LadiesAndJane]

You can still salt test your hygrometer to check it for accuracy. It is easy to do. I just did it with two I got in the mail yesterday. One was off by 3% and one was off by 4%
They were reading high so I just have to -3 or -4 on the readings I get.