incubation humidity days 1-18??

[holly.fitzy]

alright, so I'm new to incubating and I've done my research but there is just so many different answers... I curious to know what my humidity level should be from days 1-18 and then lock down 18-21? can some people say what their humidity level is that has worked for them, thanks holly.

 

[Chelseyb123]

I was in the same boat when i did mine. Whats your set up i did a dry incubation. Which means no fan. My humidity the first 18 was no lower than 25% and than when lock down came it was 65-75. Lock down humidity is the most important because they can drown or shrink wrap in the shell. Good luck hope this was helpful

 

[Crooked Chicken]

Here is a really good article by one of our own BYC members:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/incubation-humidity.73386/#comment-502530
I think it may help you decide what's best for you.

 

[Laodicia]

alright, so I'm new to incubating and I've done my research but there is just so many different answers... I curious to know what my humidity level should be from days 1-18 and then lock down 18-21? can some people say what their humidity level is that has worked for them, thanks holly.

I do dry incubation but I live in a humid place... it's usually about 20-30% for me from days 1-18 watching the air cells develop is going to be your biggest indicator for what you need. if I raise my humidity to the 40-50% it's supposed to be my eggs aircells dont grow enough.

for lock down I aim for about 65% but it usually averages 60%

(I live in NS, CA though where ambient humidity is usually around 90 - 100% lol it's lower in the winter)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/hatching-eggs-101.64195/
this has a TON of info all on incubation. about 1/3 of the way down is a chart that I use for the egg air cell growth.

 

[BYC910]

Welcome to BYC Holly . Humidity depends on what your ambient and relative humidity are . Ambient humidity is the humidity that surrounds your incubator in it's environment. Which is the room it is in . Relative humidity is the humidity that surrounds your house and the world you live in . With that in mind you should first know what the humidity is in your incubator that would occur naturally fed buy the ambient humidity . If your incubator has humidity of anywhere between 30 to 50 percent that is fine for the first eighteen days . I run dry which gives me a humidity of anywhere from 28 to 40 % then raise my humidity to 65% or higher after I see my first egg pip . Air cell development monitoring at seven day fourteen day and eighteen day candling or weighing your eggs is how you make sure that your humidity is right or close to right. Most beginners make the mistake of filling the humidity wells in their incubators and end up with humidity that is way to high throughout incubation . So Anywhere between 30 and 50% for eighteen days and 65% or higher for lockdown and hatching . We would like to know what kind of incubator you have what kind of controls it has .Have you calibrated your hygrometer and thermometer . These things are very important . More hatches have failed from thermometers being wrong than you can imagine . Hygrometers too but the temperature is the bigger killer . Check to be sure they are both right . Hoped this helped you . need more help jut ask .

 

[tjb]

I am in SouthEast Texas and do dry incubation until day 18--meaning I do not add any water at all until lockdown. My humidity stays between 20-30%. Its has been perfect so far... I have used both with and without fan incubators and always dry until day 18...

 

[Altfrizzle]

And I'm in CT and the one time I tried dry incubation (over the summer, with relative humidity very high) I had a bunch of shrink wrapped chicks. I still want to cry over that failed hatch.

My last batch, this fall, I kept humidity between 40-50% and got 100% hatched.

 

[Pratik1234]

I am in SouthEast Texas and do dry incubation until day 18--meaning I do not add any water at all until lockdown. My humidity stays between 20-30%. Its has been perfect so far... I have used both with and without fan incubators and always dry until day 18...

What was your hatch rate? And what incubator do you use?