Hybrid incubation, feedback please

[TheFatBlueCat]

Hi all,

I am attempting to make my hatching more successful in my climate. My plan is to begin incubation in an incubator for 10-14 days then move the eggs to a broody to finish and hatch. I only want to broody-raise my chicks.
My current plan is to place the incubator in my hot water cupboard, which holds at 62-66% humidity. I might get that slightly lower by adding a passive damp removing desiccant pottle. This is the lowest humidity I can achieve anywhere in my house, running a dehumidifier in a room only gets me in the 70s. I'm looking for feedback on this, will 10-14 days in the incubator likely be enough to overcome potential 75-80+ humidity when moved to the hen? My concern is getting the air cells large enough for the chicks to pip and get out of the eggs.

The incubator IS a Chinese one, but it is auto turning, and has a fan. I will obviously be running it dry. I wanted to try it out before I spring for a brinsea, which are eye wateringly expensive for my intentions of no lockdown or hatching in it.

Background to why I'm doing this:
My past issues have been environmental humidity, which can stay in the 80s for weeks at a time and this is too much for the hens to overcome. I've done as much as I can to improve ventilation under nests etc, use more absorbent bedding. I'm most successful with early spring and late autumn hatches but late spring and summer can be a write-off. I'm preparing for the broodies to begin, and it is extremely damp this year.

I've been running about for the past week setting my humidity meter up in different places. It's been in the hot water cupboard now for 3 days in both dry and wet weather and I'm confident this is my best location option.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Quick update, set up the incubator yesterday for several hours and it actually does a great job of dropping the humidity. It isn't calibrated accurately but I expected that and have my own meters inside it. I will be setting eggs today so I will just keep this thread updated with my results.

Still keen for any input!

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

This is a response I gave on another thread as to why I think humidity is the issue:

I don't know for absolutely sure that it was the humidity, but it's the most educated guess I can make. I had one 100% failed hatched of I think 16 eggs, all of which were developed at the same rate, and all of which died in the shell without pipping. They all had air cell sizes that indicated an issue with humidity. These eggs were split between 2 different hens also. I only candled them after they failed to hatch as I am usually very hands-off. This happened over a very unusually humid period over summer where the humidity just did not break. I get lower hatch rates (below 50%) when the humidity is high and excellent hatch rates (above 90%) when the humidity drops into the 50s and 60s for at least a handful of days during the 21 days. This has all been with broodies.

I honestly don't know how I can be sure of the precise reason, but this seems like a solid explanation worth accounting for and seeing what happens.

 

[Molpet]

I have same problems when hot and humid with broodies in nest boxes. Ones out in the bush show up with 10 chicks. Shadrach has an article about nest boxes with dirt flooring.
I put eggs in the incubator same time as I give hens eggs. I usually move them under hens 5 to 3 days before hatch day. I do this with turkey eggs too.

 

[Iluveggers]

Here is a link I found about lowering humidity in a small space without a dehumidifier. Maybe one of those ways would help get it around 50% for the first 14-17 days? Could you wait until day 17-18 to give the eggs to your broodies so the humidity could stay lower until “lockdown” under the hens?

Lower humidity link:
https://www.attainablehome.com/lower-humidity-14-ways-no-dehumidifer/

Also, yes the Brinsea is expensive. I like my Nr360 (there is a huge thread for anyone using it on BYC). It was on sale on Amazon a few weeks ago, not sure what you can afford but if you save for a good one I would recommend it!

 

[WallyG74]

@Chookwagn is in NZ as well. Maybe he has some helpful tips.

 

[BDutch]

My first thought was , the broodies, know/regulate just fine in general and how come that they won’t hatch at all when they are 21 days in a nest. I never heard that humidity was such a devastating problem. And there are more regions where its humid. Where I live humidity is often quit high too.

I have same problems when hot and humid with broodies in nest boxes. Ones out in the bush show up with 10 chicks. Shadrach has an article about nest boxes with dirt flooring.
I put eggs in the incubator same time as I give hens eggs. I usually move them under hens 5 to 3 days before hatch day. I do this with turkey eggs too.

Molpet saying the broodies do better in the wild confirms this.

I also remembered someone in my country who had trouble with hatching when we had a cold eastern wind in spring in NL. The conclusion was that the nest-boxes hanging out in combination with the bedding made it impossible for the broody to keep the eggs warm. Someone else nearby had no problem the same time of the year . But his broodies had ground with the grasses still on it as an underlayment in the nest box. And another broody disappeared for 3+ weeks and finally came back with a bunch of chicks.

So I do believe that if you can provide a good nesting area (not too cold / not yoo hot - not extreme moist / not extreme dry ) it could work. I always put a layer of sand under the bedding after knowing the above.

These are just ideas. I don’t have very much experience with breeding and our climate is probably quit different from yours. So I hope you get tips from NZ people who are experienced too.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

Here is a link I found about lowering humidity in a small space without a dehumidifier. Maybe one of those ways would help get it around 50% for the first 14-17 days? Could you wait until day 17-18 to give the eggs to your broodies so the humidity could stay lower until “lockdown” under the hens?

Lower humidity link:
https://www.attainablehome.com/lower-humidity-14-ways-no-dehumidifer/

Also, yes the Brinsea is expensive. I like my Nr360 (there is a huge thread for anyone using it on BYC). It was on sale on Amazon a few weeks ago, not sure what you can afford but if you save for a good one I would recommend it!

Thanks for your reply, I can't get the nurture right incubator here, I can get Chinese types in a wide range of options, brinsea and rcom. I can order a nuture right from Australia, which I will have a think about now that shipping actually happens between us again in a sort of timely fashion!

I am nervous about leaving the eggs almost all the way in the incubator, partly due to the fact my incubator isn't super good and partly because I just think hens do a better job. I've never had even the hint of a chick deformity come from my hens.

 

[TheFatBlueCat]

My first thought was , the broodies, know/regulate just fine in general and how come that they won’t hatch at all when they are 21 days in a nest. I never heard that humidity was such a devastating problem. And there are more regions where its humid. Where I live humidity is often quit high too.



Molpet saying the broodies do better in the wild confirms this.

I also remembered someone in my country who had trouble with hatching when we had a cold eastern wind in spring in NL. The conclusion was that the nest-boxes hanging out in combination with the bedding made it impossible for the broody to keep the eggs warm. Someone else nearby had no problem the same time of the year . But his broodies had ground with the grasses still on it as an underlayment in the nest box. And another broody disappeared for 3+ weeks and finally came back with a bunch of chicks.

So I do believe that if you can provide a good nesting area (not too cold / not yoo hot - not extreme moist / not extreme dry ) it could work. I always put a layer of sand under the bedding after knowing the above.

These are just ideas. I don’t have very much experience with breeding and our climate is probably quit different from yours. So I hope you get tips from NZ people who are experienced too.

I have same problems when hot and humid with broodies in nest boxes. Ones out in the bush show up with 10 chicks. Shadrach has an article about nest boxes with dirt flooring.
I put eggs in the incubator same time as I give hens eggs. I usually move them under hens 5 to 3 days before hatch day. I do this with turkey eggs too.

Sand is a great idea! I actually read a magazine article about using a slab of lawn with the grass and dirt all there. The article was about how this helped with increasing humidity, so I sort of put that aside, but it makes sense now you have reminded me, that providing what is essentially what eggs evolutionary expectations are that they would do better.

Once the broodies begin in full come springtime I will set them up on various dirt/sand floors and report results. I'll also provide a range of options in my trap nests and see if there is any choice preference.

I generally use pea straw as bedding on a base of woodchip. I try to give plenty of bedding so the hens can make a true concave nest.

 

[MaryJanet]

Sand is a great idea! I actually read a magazine article about using a slab of lawn with the grass and dirt all there. The article was about how this helped with increasing humidity, so I sort of put that aside, but it makes sense now you have reminded me, that providing what is essentially what eggs evolutionary expectations are that they would do better.

Once the broodies begin in full come springtime I will set them up on various dirt/sand floors and report results. I'll also provide a range of options in my trap nests and see if there is any choice preference.

I generally use pea straw as bedding on a base of woodchip. I try to give plenty of bedding so the hens can make a true concave nest.

I'm looking forward to your findings.