Hello! This is anecdotal, but when I was searching for info on dry hatch VS "traditional" I couldn't find this... So, I'm gonna put it out there.
I have hatched both ways and I wanted to share my technique for both, and the experience. I have the Kebonnix 12 egg incubator.
For traditional hatch, I held my incubator at 50-55% humidity and 99.5° for 18 days, then at 65-70% after lockdown. I weighed on day 1 and day 18. Eggs lost 9-12% of their weight. Of the 9 eggs I put in on day 1, 8 seemed viable on day 18. 5 hatched fine. 2 pipped but did not zip, and I did not assist the hatch because by the time I noticed the pipping, the chick had passed. Pipping began at the end of day 18,most hatched on day 19, and all that were going to hatch had hatched by mid day on day 20.
For dry hatching, my humidity varied from 25-35%, but the temperature was the same, consistently 99.5° F for the first 18 days. I weighed in days 1, 9 and 18. By day 9, eggs had lost 7-10% and on day 18, they had lost 12-18% of their weight. For lockdown, I raised humidity to 65%, and kept it between 63% and 67%. Pipping did not start til day 20, and hatching was mostly all at once on day 21, with one straggler coming on day 22. I had 8 eggs again on day 18. 7 of them hatched, with no assistance needed for any of them. All 7 are healthy and doing well.
For me, dry hatching was easier (no chasing humidity for 18 days, didn't need to add water!) And the hatch rate was better. Dry hatching seems to take a little longer, but the success was worth it!
Attached are pictures of the chicks from my recent hatch at 1 day old. Please feel free to add questions or your own experience with dry vs traditional hatch.
I have hatched both ways and I wanted to share my technique for both, and the experience. I have the Kebonnix 12 egg incubator.
For traditional hatch, I held my incubator at 50-55% humidity and 99.5° for 18 days, then at 65-70% after lockdown. I weighed on day 1 and day 18. Eggs lost 9-12% of their weight. Of the 9 eggs I put in on day 1, 8 seemed viable on day 18. 5 hatched fine. 2 pipped but did not zip, and I did not assist the hatch because by the time I noticed the pipping, the chick had passed. Pipping began at the end of day 18,most hatched on day 19, and all that were going to hatch had hatched by mid day on day 20.
For dry hatching, my humidity varied from 25-35%, but the temperature was the same, consistently 99.5° F for the first 18 days. I weighed in days 1, 9 and 18. By day 9, eggs had lost 7-10% and on day 18, they had lost 12-18% of their weight. For lockdown, I raised humidity to 65%, and kept it between 63% and 67%. Pipping did not start til day 20, and hatching was mostly all at once on day 21, with one straggler coming on day 22. I had 8 eggs again on day 18. 7 of them hatched, with no assistance needed for any of them. All 7 are healthy and doing well.
For me, dry hatching was easier (no chasing humidity for 18 days, didn't need to add water!) And the hatch rate was better. Dry hatching seems to take a little longer, but the success was worth it!
Attached are pictures of the chicks from my recent hatch at 1 day old. Please feel free to add questions or your own experience with dry vs traditional hatch.
I would definitely not let it go under 25, since I was comfortable with the weight loss and air cell sixes/movement with the range I had, and wouldn't want any more weight loss or larger cells.
