Broody Hen vs Incubator - Temperature

[HelpingHens]

Yesterday I put 2 different thermometers under my broody hens (I have 4 right now), and they read from 101-102F

Has anyone else done this and gotten similar results?

Their eggs feel warmer than my incubator eggs as well. You would think 101-102 would cook the eggs or at least cause overheating during hatching, but their hatch rate is better than mine!

 

[ToddW25]

I haven't done this, but I would assume the hen would adjust instinctively. I'd be curious if the temperature remains the same days on end? Interesting point though. I may give it a try the next time my hen starts sitting.

 

[Avlana]

I was actually going to test this out. I'm going to use my brinsea spot check thermometer to check the temp under my broody. Just out of curiosity I'll check back and let you know what it reads.

 

[AmericanMom]

Yesterday I put 2 different thermometers under my broody hens (I have 4 right now), and they read from 101-102F

Has anyone else done this and gotten similar results?

Their eggs feel warmer than my incubator eggs as well. You would think 101-102 would cook the eggs or at least cause overheating during hatching, but their hatch rate is better than mine!

I have a still air incubator and I keep that temp at between 101-102 so if that's the temp under a hen then I would say I am spot on lol

My last hatch I got 17/17... Got 55 cooking as of right now in the incubator with another 9 under a broody out in the coop, the eggs in the bator and the eggs under Mrs Broody butt are 1 day apart

 

[Ridgerunner]

Why not add a hygrometer and track humidity too? That could prove interesting.

The commercial poultry industry has spent a lot of money determining what the best conditions to hatch in an incubator are. They can build identical incubators and put them in what should be identical conditions in a room yet each incubator has to be tweaked to get the best hatch rates. Due to manufacturing tolerances or air flow in a room, each incubator is an individual and performs best with different settings. The recommendations are the starting point, not necessarily the end point.

We get the benefit of their research as to starting points but they readily admit they can’t beat a broody hen for hatch rates over the long haul.

I’m serious about that hygrometer. It would be interesting to see what happens. I’ve seen one post on here several years back where a lady did that for an incubation under a broody. She said the humidity did rise in the last part of incubation. Not necessarily three full days before hatch, but a bit before hatch. But that was only one case. Maybe a storm moved through and raised the humidity. It would be interesting to get more examples.

 

[HelpingHens]

Maybe thats why its 101-102, because its still air under a broody

When I put eggs in the incubator from my hens I do have a pretty good hatch rate. Shipped eggs... whole other story...

Im still curious why their eggs feel warmer than mine! Mine are in a forced air incubator so I aim for 99-100.

 

[HelpingHens]

I will go stick my hygrometer under the broodys tonight!

 

[AmericanMom]

Why not add a hygrometer and track humidity too? That could prove interesting.

The commercial poultry industry has spent a lot of money determining what the best conditions to hatch in an incubator are. They can build identical incubators and put them in what should be identical conditions in a room yet each incubator has to be tweaked to get the best hatch rates. Due to manufacturing tolerances or air flow in a room, each incubator is an individual and performs best with different settings. The recommendations are the starting point, not necessarily the end point.

We get the benefit of their research as to starting points but they readily admit they can’t beat a broody hen for hatch rates over the long haul.

I’m serious about that hygrometer. It would be interesting to see what happens. I’ve seen one post on here several years back where a lady did that for an incubation under a broody. She said the humidity did rise in the last part of incubation. Not necessarily three full days before hatch, but a bit before hatch. But that was only one case. Maybe a storm moved through and raised the humidity. It would be interesting to get more examples.

Seems I remember seeing a post about this...

I Started doing dry incubation and near dry hatches.. I cut a normal cheapy sponge into three strips and add two of those strips Wet of course) at lock down. I do not re-wet the strips but allow the hatching chicks to create enough humidity for the remaining eggs... I have done that with my last two hatches and the first time was with Turkey eggs. I got a 98% hatch and the last time with my barnyard mix chickens (a few weeks ago) got a 100% hatch.. I do not monitor the humidity in the incubator as I noticed it drove me nuts worrying, instead I monitor the room humidity, currently its at 47% but that will go up as we are expecting clouds and some rain over the weekend. I know my way of hatching wont work for everyone but after 4 very very bad hatches I decided to try the dry incubation and then to further try almost dry hatching.

 

[HelpingHens]

45% RH under my broody. I am in So Cal and the RH outside is 30%