Dry Hatching?

[KalikoFarms]

Has anyone tried dry hatching? I have read that it is good and then I read that its bad. I am trying it now but I just set my eggs yesterday. Any information is very much appreciated. The eggs I have set are purchased, I dont know if that has anything to do with it. Just thought I would put it out there.
Thanks
Rita

 

[mandelaykay]

I do not know anything about it but would be interested to learn more I am assuming it is incubating with out the use of water to regulate humidity?
Mandy

 

[Wyogirl]

That's what I use, of course my success rate has been low but I really think it is due to shipped eggs? I am trying an experiment, have 12 local fertile eggs in with 21 shipped eggs and I'm going to see if it was shipped vs. local, as my temps have been very stable 99-100 as well as humidity never dropping below 20 on days 1-18 and then 60-70 during lockdown.
Good luck
Ayda

 

[KalikoFarms]

Thanks I love this site!!!!! Now for a new question......On day 18 can I put the eggs into another container with a heat lamp and let them hatch there or do I just leave them in the bator?
Thanks again.

 

[mandelaykay]

Hi Rita,

I am so glad that started this post... now that I am looking into dry hatching I really think that it is right for us. We are in Maine and it is already so humid!!! I did some research and from what I have read you leave them in the incubator and add water on day 19 so that their membranes are moist enough from them to be able to break through. My hygrometer is reading 34% without any water in there. I turned off my a.c unit in that room to see if that would make things fluctuate and am still waiting for the results. I do not like the hygrometer that I am using and will get another. It is always off with the temp and humidity but the humidity is not off by more then 4%. I will be using shipped eggs so we will see.

Mandy

 

[Arielle]

Here are a couple things to read on dry hatching, which is really dry INCUBATING and increasing the moisture during the lockdown phase of hatching. https://www.backyardchickens.com/we...et&PHPSESSID=6a9ef75252d048761e502795e39964f4

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html

Also, remember the purpose is to increase the air cell sufficently; you'll want to find diagrams to show you what you see when candling. And the Eggs need to decreae in weight by 12-14%.

Check the sticky for more resources and the "How TO" section of BYC.

GL

 

[mandelaykay]

arielle,

Thanks for the links! Very helpful!!

 

[quintinp]

I think the links probably showed it all, but I have dry-incubated 2 times now in my homemade incubator, the first time I got a 9 out of 9 hatch, the second time I got 9 out of 15, Something went wrong the second time. I recommend this to everyone, and the way I do it Is. I keep the humidity at 20% the first 18 days, and 60% 70% the last 3 days of incubation, the temp is the same as it should be.

 

[mandelaykay]

Thanks quintip- is there anything special that you do for keeping the humidity at that level. Do you use paper towels and or do you use an egg carton to put the eggs in when they hatch

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
My incubator is a Coleman cooler, and it has no vent holes to lose humidity, so it keeps humidity very stable and humidity is not lost, If you look at my incubator on MY BYC page you will see pictures of my cooler bator, and the light bulb for heat is sort of close to the bottom, so when lock down comes i put a bowl of water directly under the light, and the water gets hot and evaporates quicker, causing higher humidity.