Dry incubation.

[Bantu]

Serama eggs are difficult ! Think they suffered from the egg turner. Had all 17 viable till day 10 now I have 9. In retrospect I should have hand turned them or possibly a quail turner. The lower humidity has the air cells right as they should be! They went into lockdown a day early as recommended for these tiny eggs. Friday is day 21! So I should know if I will get chicks or not by then.

 

[Nimueh Alene]

I'm on day 7 with 12 of 17 shipped Salmon Faverolles eggs showing veins. 3 were clear and 2 had blood rings.
The eggs spent 5 days traveling and where about 8 days old going in the incubator. I did not let them stand 24 hours because of their age. I did not engage the egg turner until day 3. Humidity is staying around 40% because of all the rain. I have decided not to candle again until lock down. Hopeful to hatch in 14 days.

 

[newchickmama91]

Went from hatching 2 out of 36 to hatching 8 out of 16 using the dry incubation. Definitely the best thing I've done!

 

[Pat 7110]

I go 100% along with this!

I completely agree!!

 

[walkswithdog]

Since I'm generally only hatching abandoned eggs, left in nests partially or nearly totally at hatch point, I'm going to admit to never messing with humidity, gasp, opening the incubator during "lockdown" often, because they hatch days apart.And yes, I get some shrink wrapped chicks but I can tell by candling when it's likely to happen and watch to see if help is needed. I then dry them out, feed them for a few days then stuff them under the idiot broody who made all the mistakes and voila, happy mommy hen. Not all broodies know what to do, some get scared of nests, steal an egg from another hen that hatches early and leaves the nest too soon, cracks an egg, just up and leaves to steal someone else's eggs, or to start hatching the accumulated eggs of my non broody hens because she liked the larger number. And that's just a few examples. I have an incubator because a chicken has a brain the size of a marble and instincts aren't actually perfect. Peeping behind me are seven chicks who would have gone unhatched due to hen error. I'm going to stuff them all under the (more eggs are better ) hen tomorrow night. She'll be happy. Dry hatching keeps me from water logging chicks not ready to hatch, and let's the hatched chicks dry quickly.
I've been doing this awhile so I have challenged, used, and appreciated all the absolute rules of hatching. Use the rules until you get a real feel for the needs of your micro climate - no two houses are the same. Much less states or counties. I have multiple somewhat insane brooding hens at once, so rescue hatching is a lot more variable than a fixed point hatch. The rules are guidelines, guidelines that generally work well. But not for every situation or home environment. So take a deep breath and don't sweat a few variations from the perfect rules.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Since I'm generally only hatching abandoned eggs, left in nests partially or nearly totally at hatch point, I'm going to admit to never messing with humidity, gasp, opening the incubator during "lockdown" often, because they hatch days apart.And yes, I get some shrink wrapped chicks but I can tell by candling when it's likely to happen and watch to see if help is needed. I then dry them out, feed them for a few days then stuff them under the idiot broody who made all the mistakes and voila, happy mommy hen. Not all broodies know what to do, some get scared of nests, steal an egg from another hen that hatches early and leaves the nest too soon, cracks an egg, just up and leaves to steal someone else's eggs, or to start hatching the accumulated eggs of my non broody hens because she liked the larger number. And that's just a few examples. I have an incubator because a chicken has a brain the size of a marble and instincts aren't actually perfect. Peeping behind me are seven chicks who would have gone unhatched due to hen error. I'm going to stuff them all under the (more eggs are better ) hen tomorrow night. She'll be happy. Dry hatching keeps me from water logging chicks not ready to hatch, and let's the hatched chicks dry quickly.
I've been doing this awhile so I have challenged, used, and appreciated all the absolute rules of hatching. Use the rules until you get a real feel for the needs of your micro climate - no two houses are the same. Much less states or counties. I have multiple somewhat insane brooding hens at once, so rescue hatching is a lot more variable than a fixed point hatch. The rules are guidelines, guidelines that generally work well. But not for every situation or home environment. So take a deep breath and don't sweat a few variations from the perfect rules.

I hear you on not Sweating the perfect rules.

I got a question I want to ask with no disrespect meant----I know we all do things the way we want-----My question is why do you put yourself through all the hatching from the abandoned eggs?

The reason I am asking is I set a lot of broodies and in just 3 years I set over 150 broody hens and alot more in the years before those and I have never had abandoned eggs, No eggs to put in a incubator---when the hen leaves the nest all the fertile eggs have hatched and all usually hatch within 24 hrs +/- of each other.

In a natural setting the hen goes off and hides her nest and lays her eggs---day by day until she decides to set----rarely does another hen find or lay a egg in her nest. WE humans come alone and fenced/penned up these hens, now when they want to go broody we Humans have collected all the eggs daily so they grab a nest that has a few eggs in it to start to set on---then other hens lay more eggs in her chosen nest. Being US Humans penned/caged them up it is Us humans that need to remove all fresh eggs from her shared nest DAILY so she can have a good hatch where all fertile eggs hatch under her at the same time(with in a day usually)---then she does not have to stress her-self trying to decide what to do----"do I leave the nest to defend/feed the hatched and the unhatched die---or do I stay and try to hatch the rest and the already hatched not be protected"??? I am sure that's tough on them mentally! Just My Thoughts.

 

[Nimueh Alene]

I'm on day 7 with 12 of 17 shipped Salmon Faverolles eggs showing veins. 3 were clear and 2 had blood rings.
The eggs spent 5 days traveling and where about 8 days old going in the incubator. I did not let them stand 24 hours because of their age. I did not engage the egg turner until day 3. Humidity is staying around 40% because of all the rain. I have decided not to candle again until lock down. Hopeful to hatch in 14 days.

UPDATE!
Baby Salomon Faverolles number 1 just made its appearance a minute ago. 5 more have pipped and the rest are rocking and rolling. Hoping for a 100% hatch!

 

[Nimueh Alene]

They're all here. All 12 zipped and are in the incubator at various stages of drying off. Crele orphintons are going in as soon as the incubator is sterilized and ready to go.

 

[Nimueh Alene]

Only five left. The rest died for some reason unknown to me. Legs were odd, toes curled. Old eggs? Incubator was sanitized, temps were right on. Air cells looked fine at lock down. 100% hatch rate but only 50% survival rate.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Only five left. The rest died for some reason unknown to me. Legs were odd, toes curled. Old eggs? Incubator was sanitized, temps were right on. Air cells looked fine at lock down. 100% hatch rate but only 50% survival rate.

That's Sad, Sorry!! I hate shipped eggs---really hate buying eggs from someone unless I really know them or they come highly recommended. Good Luck with the rest!