First time hatcher

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Hi all, this is my first post here and I hope you can help me. We are hatching eggs for the first time, using a Brinsea Octagon 20 Advance incubator. All is well so far at day 3, I hope, with temperature at 37.5. I just want to ask about the humidity. It is around 48%. The incubator instructions say between 40-50% and a number of websites say 60-65% moving up to 85% in the last 3 days. Can anyone advise on this please?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
Hello and welcome to the forum :)
I would try and keep it slightly lower if you can- most incubation problems are caused by too high humidity- (chicks get too big in egg and cant hatch, sticky, wet chicks and unabsorbed yolk sacs, dead in shell ) you only need to raise it once the eggs have pipped- i would try and keep it around the 40% mark -then raise it to 65-75% on pipping-(nomally the last day- you need to stop turning the eggs for the last three days but this is not too critical (the hen doesn't stop turning them) It's only to make sure the chicks don't get trapped.
Humidity is measured as an average over the whole incubation period -so, it doesn't matter that it is kept constantly at a certain point. The eggs should lose about 14% weight over the whole incubation.
good luck on your hatch, what are your eggs? keep us informed,
regards, David :)
 
thanks so much for replying so quickly, I will open the vent a bit to bring the humidity down. We have a selection of eggs including french copper marans, light sussex, buff orpingtons, gold & silver laced wynadottes and a couple of araucanas. I think that's it! I'll keep you posted on progress. Thanks again for the advice.
 
Hi, I thought I'd post a quick update on our first hatching experience. Now on day 11, and out of 16 eggs, it looks like we have 6 fertile ones. I'm interested to know if this is a reasonable number as I must admit to feeling a bit disappointed that there are only 6, but if this is about right, then fair enough.
 
Hello, 6 out of 16 is not too good- you should expect at least 10/16 to be fertile if not more- a lot depends on where the eggs came from - how many hens to cocks ratio- age/condition of stock so i think you have been a little unlucky but at least you have some fertile :) Good luck with your hatch and let us know how it goes.
regards, David :)
 
Hi David, we went to Perfect Poultry (http://www.perfectpoultry.co.uk) for the eggs, so that they wouldn't have to be posted. Clearly it didn't particularly help!
 
I agree with David, 6 is a bit on the low side, maybe a call to the supplier? Some offer free eggs if less than 50% fertile.Saying that though,this time of year fertility can drop as the hens start to moult and the boys lose a bit of their spring ardour!
I have a couple of Octagon Advance incubators and run at around 35% until I see pipping, then I up to 65% for the last couple of days, have had very successful hatching with this regime. Temp I keep at 37.5 the whole way through, and only candle a couple of times :)
 
The humidity is about 43% at the moment, and I'm trying not to let it get much higher. Will try to get it down a bit further. Day 12 today, so hope I'm not too late! Have candled 3 times so won't candle again.
 
Hi, 43% is ok :) and don't candle anymore- it can damage them if you have the candler on the eggs for too long - good luck and keep us posted.
regards, David :)
 
So exciting - pipping has started! One tiny piece of shell has lifted from one egg and two others are rolling around all over the place!I have just added more water to increase the humidity, and also some wet cloth to get it higher, but it is still only showing 54%. What can I do to increase it further to 65%?
 
Hi, did you add warm water? if so, try and keep the lid on- the humidity should rise ok and once the first on is out it will increase rapidly- good luck,
regards, David :)
 
If the humidity is very low add some warm water if not leave the lid on and it should be ok- :) I always wait until they are pipping before adding more water- and use warm water then- it's just a quicker way of raising humidity- it will rise with cold water but takes longer.
David :)
 
Well one light sussex has hatched successfully. The other light sussex I think may have died in the shell. She started pecking at the shell and made some progress, but it looks like there is blood on the membrance. A buff orpington and gold lace wynadotte are beginning to make some headway, so that is 3 I am hopefull about.
 
Another question please. Is it ok to open incubator for a few seconds before chicks have fluffed up in order to remove 2 dead eggs and turn one that the chicks have rolled upside down?
 
No worries! Six chicks safely arrived. 2 buff orps, 1 silver laced wynadotte, 1 french copper maran, 1 light sussex and 1 aracuna all sleeping peacefully! Thank you to everyone for your help and and advice, truly appreciated.
 

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