Is it Possible to have " too much" Humidity? (INCUBATION)

[Lazy Farmer]

Is it possible to have a level of humidity which can be detrimental to the development of embryos of pre hatchlings?
If so, what could the characteristics if the possibility of such an event occurred?
Keep in mind the temperature would be carefully monitored by digital and analog devices.
Humidity is the subject, not temperature.
I look forward to your response. Thank you.

(Corrected my wording)

 

[Kiki]

Short answer is YES!
I can not elaborate but I'm sure someone will come along soon to do so.

 

[LilJoe]

Yes

If the humidity os too high it can drown the chick/duckling

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Several conditions are increased with too high of humidity. Splayed leg for one but it's second to too high of temp causing that problem. Really the biggest thing about humidity is controlling the amount of water/weight loss of the egg. Somewhere in line of 12% mass should be lost during incubation and this is water evaporating from egg. Higher humidity lowers evaporation from egg and low humidity increases it.

Fast forward and easier way to monitor is to candle the egg and look at the air cell. Adjust humidity if needed to grow the air cell to proper size. You'll find 30% RH will do the trick to day 18 then up humidity to what you want for hatching, I prefer 70% RH. Make sure to preform a salt test on hygrometer to calibrate it.

This is a decent diagram of air cell growth by day. It's not exacting, every egg is different (more or less porous) but in general terms a fair reference. Smaller than what shown here for day 14 on hatch would increase mortality due to drowning in shell on internal pip. Air cells smaller than day 7 shown at hatch is complete death sentence. Ask me how I know? We all started hatching at one time. It's a learning process.

 

[bald Rooster]

I am attempting my first set of eggs. I have a Hova bator 1588. the book says humidity should 45% to 55% for setting, and it also sates a little less is better then more.
55% to 65% for hatching.
I got 38 Quail eggs with my Bator and turner purchase and since the quail eggs didn't half fill it I added chicken eggs to the rest of it.
After further reading I have a dilemma and that is the hatch.
The chicken eggs hatch on day 21 and the quail eggs 23. the problem with this is the higher humidity required at hatch.
I live in florida and the humidity is 70% 80% in unconditioned space.
I am considering placing eggs in brooder Since it has thermostat and heater for the hatching?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My whole humidity thoughts: http://letsraisechickens.weebly.com...anuals-understanding-and-controlling-humidity

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I am attempting my first set of eggs. I have a Hova bator 1588. the book says humidity should 45% to 55% for setting, and it also sates a little less is better then more.
55% to 65% for hatching.
I got 38 Quail eggs with my Bator and turner purchase and since the quail eggs didn't half fill it I added chicken eggs to the rest of it.
After further reading I have a dilemma and that is the hatch.
The chicken eggs hatch on day 21 and the quail eggs 23. the problem with this is the higher humidity required at hatch.
I live in florida and the humidity is 70% 80% in unconditioned space.
I am considering placing eggs in brooder Since it has thermostat and heater for the hatching?

My first incubation did what I'd read online to do: 60% for incubation then 80% for hatching. Yup, drowned every last one. Don't listen to what Hovabator tells you. If you can control the humidity from spiking when a bunch of eggs pip and start to zip then 60-65% RH is a great place to be during hatch. Problem is you can't always be there to micromanage the humidity from spiking over 70%, if it stay spiked for a period of time then drys back out all your chicks that have piped already will be glued stuck to shells. It's a mess....been there done that too. Chicks hatch so much better at 65% but you can't be there 24 hours awake to lift lid of incubator to keep the humidity below 70-75% when a group decide to pip all at once in the middle of the night. Solution is to keep humidity 70% and over during hatch.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

My first incubation did what I'd read online to do: 60% for incubation then 80% for hatching. Yup, drowned every last one. Don't listen to what Hovabator tells you. If you can control the humidity from spiking when a bunch of eggs pip and start to zip then 60-65% RH is a great place to be during hatch. Problem is you can't always be there to micromanage the humidity from spiking over 70%, if it stay spiked for a period of time then drys back out all your chicks that have piped already will be glued stuck to shells. It's a mess....been there done that too. Chicks hatch so much better at 65% but you can't be there 24 hours awake to lift lid of incubator to keep the humidity below 70-75% when a group decide to pip all at once in the middle of the night. Solution is to keep humidity 70% and over during hatch.

Yup.

Most recommendations are too high unless you are in a high elevation, then you do need higher humidity. I run 30% ish for the first 17 days and 70-75% for hatch. (But I monitor air cells frequently too.) I'm a hands on hatcher so I open during hatch so when mine spikes it doesn't stay up long.

 

[bald Rooster]

After reading all this I took all the water out of my bator.
Im on day 2 and temps perfect and humidity is 46% with a dry bator.
I will monitor it closely as the bator is in my closet.

 

[FarmerJackie]

I have found that "too much" humidity has resulted in sticky eggs that weaker chicks struggle to get out and recently hatched seem to never dry.

However, when the pendulum swings the other way, I have even more of a problem with lower humidity resulting in shrink wrap and more chicks failing to get to the zipping phase.

I prefer 35-40% during incubation and 60-65% during lock down