Dry Hatching in a Cabinet Bator

[Ranchhand48]

Greetings!
I have an old cabinet incubator that I have had since the late 80's, and I am curious how the dry hatching works in that sort of bator. Does anyone have experience with this sort of incubator?

 

[Ranchhand48]

Update: First batch of shipped eggs are in the incubator! The temp fluctuates from 99.4-99.8 which is good; however, the humidity is about 60% with no water added to the bator! I can only assume it is a amalgamation of ambient humidity and moisture being pulled from the eggs for the first time. As I am attempting a "dry" hatch should I move the incubator into my home (it is currently in a shed directly behind the house) to keep it out of the humidity? Or will the humidity drop off after a few days? It's been quite a while (15 years at least!) since I have incubated eggs. Also of note, in this cabinet incubator the whole shelf tilts. to keep the eggs from rolling around I have them set in old egg cartons on their sides, not strait up and down. Thoughts?

 

[loveourbirds]

Update: First batch of shipped eggs are in the incubator! The temp fluctuates from 99.4-99.8 which is good; however, the humidity is about 60% with no water added to the bator! I can only assume it is a amalgamation of ambient humidity and moisture being pulled from the eggs for the first time. As I am attempting a "dry" hatch should I move the incubator into my home (it is currently in a shed directly behind the house) to keep it out of the humidity? Or will the humidity drop off after a few days? It's been quite a while (15 years at least!) since I have incubated eggs. Also of note, in this cabinet incubator the whole shelf tilts. to keep the eggs from rolling around I have them set in old egg cartons on their sides, not strait up and down. Thoughts?

I use a similar incubator (mine is GQF sportsman). if yours is a wood cabinet the humidity will probably drop as the wood dries out.

for me (in southern ohio) I have the best overall hatch rates when I run the humidity for the first 17 days at 40-45%. then I raise it to 60-65% on day 18- hatch. I also find a little better hatch rate when I open my door for 15 minutes a day.

if yours is like mine, there is a removable metal tray. I set the tray at an angle and put my eggs in pointy end down. any holes where they eggs don't fit together right, I add paper. I also pad the sides so if the eggs do rock the tray doesn't break them. occasionally I have an egg fall over, and they typically still hatch just fine as long as the big end says at a slightly elevated angle.

 

[Ranchhand48]

Thanks so much for the advice! Once the humidity drops off, I am going to attempt to keep it there!