Does dry hatch delay hatch time?

[Areyoucluckingme]

I thought I read somewhere that dryer hatches cause them to hatch later and wet hatches cause them to come early. This is my first time doing an almost totally dry hatch (I added a little water the first 5 days and then nothing, then added more starting day 18). It is winter here in Washington and even though Washington state is very humid (outside humidity is 78% currently) we have a woodstove in our house that is dry heat. I do not have a a way to measure humidity inside right now.

Anywho, today is day 21 and I see a TINY bit of movement from three of the eggs, they rock a tiny bit. Usually by now they are rocking constantly and I can hear peeping. Nothing like that happening. I've had chicks hatch as late as day 24 so I know there's still time, just curious if you have noticed that dry hatches take longer.

 

[nuthatched]

I've never heard that. Slow or fast hatch is based on temperature. What day did you set? Is your incubator calibrated?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Temperature is what affects hatch time. As far as not peeping and rocking some just don't. My last dry hatch I heard nothing and saw no rocking, but I still had 100% hatch rate, no assistance was needed and everyone hatched right on time.

 

[Areyoucluckingme]

I put them in the incubator on January 20th and temp is set at 37.7 Celsius. My incubator is calibrated and seems to be the temp that it says it is.

In the past my hatch rate has been 25 to 50 percent which isn't great but some weren't fertilized and I think I had my humidity too high, hence trying dry hatch now.

 

[gimmie birdies]

I dry hatch until day18 then add water. The chicks that hatch are plenty moist.