Dry Hatching?

[KalikoFarms]

I just love this site......I cant say it enough.. Thanks to everyone for all the information you have provided. Mandy you are very welcome. I have so much to learn and hopefully it wont be at the cost of my precious little ones. It is so nice to have such a place as BYC to be able to ask questions and for all of the people who are so eager to help us newbes out. Thanks Again
Rita

 

[hens4thehudds]

That is some good info... I will also use this for my next hatch

 

[Arielle]

Glad you found the links helpful. As you search for info, you will find more links with more info! Keeps me reading for hours!


THis is my first time incubating. I started with the wells filled like the LG manual said. After one week the air cells were the same; no increase in size. I mopped out the wells and let it go dry, then assembled a fan and put it in (very quickly). THe only location for the fan was under one of the large vent/humidiy holes, so I am loosing a lot of moisture, even thought the meter reads 30-37%RH. I checked the air cells again at 14 days and they had grown a bit! Yeay! Because I'm doing turkeys I have about 14 days more to loose moisture to the right level. THis is like having a newborn baby to care for!

Did you find the pics of the egg showing appropriate moisture loss?? I printed it out and look at it often to commit it to memory, and use it when candling.If you can't find it, PM me and I will find it again.

 

[Cold Canadian]

I do dry hatching and it seems to be a bit better , based on my own personal hatch's .I have a friend who tested the humidity under a broody hen and it showed at 33-33.9 percent humidity .Now when I do dry it shows around 34-35 percent humidity , very close to what a broody hen gives off .It makes sense that the humidity from the growing egg is keeping it level and when it comes down to the day 18 I have added water to 65 percent on some batch's and on some I left it as it was .Adding seems to be better towards the end based on what I've seen for myself , but as soon as they start hatching , the humidity from hatched eggs keep it at the 65-70 percent mark ?, so I stop adding water.I went with the dry system after having issues with the chicks drowning in the egg before hatching , I've read that the eggs need to lose a certain amount of there moisture in order for a proper hatch ?? but that is still something I need to read up on ...............................my thoughts only

 

[Arielle]

This is the conclusion I came to also. I read percent humidity from 30-55 percent. Drove me nuts. I kept reading, for months, and then eureka! I found it. THe important factor is the egg must loose 12-14 % of its weight by day 18 for a chicken. ANd then I found diagrams showing the enlarged air cell at 7 days, 14, and 18 for chicken. What ever % gets you there; a fan, room humidity, proper ventilation,etc have effects, too. It's a balancing act.

quintinP--your 'bator may have enough air for 9 eggs; 15 maybe too much and need more ventilation by day 11 (from a university site) to allow enough gas exchange for a hatch. My LG has eight -3/8" hole on the bottom AND the top (warm air rises, leaves thru the top holes and pull in fresh air thru the bottom holes); and two 1/2"holes on top for ventilation and humidity control, and some people use it to fine tune temperature to change by 1-2 degrees. Hope this helps.

 

[quintinp]

Quote:
It does well. There can always be improvement, but I think that part of it is fine, it has 1 small 1/2 inch hole in the bottom, and a slight crack in the lid for enough air exchange.