Dry Incubation?

[Cowgirlgrace]

I'm trying a dry incubation with my BCM and the recommended humidity is around 35%. We live in the Northwest and have a wood stove with a pot of water on top as two in the family tend to get bloody noses if the air is too dry. When I check the humidity in the incubator it registers 40%-45% with no water so I'm going to leave it that way. Think it's a happy medium for all and I have had very successful hatches incubating at 55% with most. Just trouble with the BCM's which is why I'm trying it.

 

[pfmoore17]

Quote:
Well, I want to get the theory done and practice a bit with an empty bator that's rocking.
In addition, I want to monitor the room and get that stable.

I am going to be anxious enough once I get the eggs in the bator. I don't want to be going gagga when somthing goes a bit, well, less than planned.

Ideal, I will regulate it, put the eggs in, regulate it again and then ignore it for 10 days and then do a candle. I really have no interest opening the bator at all,
except day 10, day 18 and when they are done.

I am loading it up next week, probably Thursday.

 

[DANNY]

Well that sounds more reasonable but that's not dry incubation that's running less humidity. I am a firm believer that the same thing dosen't work for everybody and you have to find what works for you. I think that when people call it dry incubation it confuses a lot of the people new to incubation. I have been using an incubator all my life and have made more progress the last few years than I did the other 35. I read on here a good bit but most of peoples problems is in temperature not humidity due to inaccurate thermometers. What people need to realize is that chicken eggs are supposed to be finished hatching at the end of day 21 and a lot of the hatching problems like pipping and dying and drowning can be as much temperature related as humidity. In other words the same bad results can be caused by different things. But if you pay very close attention to the eggs the hatching results will always tell you the problem.

 

[BGCNVLA]

Thanks so much everyone. I don't know that this helped me decide one way or the other but I appreciate everyone's input

 

[brendapa]

Danny,

What Temperature do you incubate & hatch ? And what humidity levels at days 1-17 18-21?

Brenda

peoples problems is in temperature not humidity due to inaccurate thermometers. What people need to realize is that chicken eggs are supposed to be finished hatching at the end of day 21 and a lot of the hatching problems like pipping and dying and drowning can be as much temperature related as humidity.​

 

[ronben]

Quote:
Hi Danny, it is simple when you are new to Incubating and your new incubator comes ard the instruction say fill water trays with water, that is what you do like I did and have killed many chicks since then,
I am doing the dry Incubation with this batch, I haven't had to put one drop of water in as yet humidity has been between 36% to 44% up till now day 15 will be putting a small amount in on day 18.
As you can see that is a big change from what the instruction say and what is being done this time.
Ron

 

[DANNY]

I understand what you are saying but how do you know that's what killed your chicks?
Quote:
Hi Danny, it is simple when you are new to Incubating and your new incubator comes ard the instruction say fill water trays with water, that is what you do like I did and have killed many chicks since then,
I am doing the dry Incubation with this batch, I haven't had to put one drop of water in as yet humidity has been between 36% to 44% up till now day 15 will be putting a small amount in on day 18.
As you can see that is a big change from what the instruction say and what is being done this time.
Ron

 

[BirdBrain]

I understand what you are saying but how do you know that's what killed your chicks?

This is exactly why I document each hatch fairly heavily so I can correlate results with what was going on during the incubation period.​

 

[ronben]

Quote:
Hi Danny, it is simple when you are new to Incubating and your new incubator comes ard the instruction say fill water trays with water, that is what you do like I did and have killed many chicks since then,
I am doing the dry Incubation with this batch, I haven't had to put one drop of water in as yet humidity has been between 36% to 44% up till now day 15 will be putting a small amount in on day 18.
As you can see that is a big change from what the instruction say and what is being done this time.
Ron


Hi again, well they are fully formed in the egg at full time, some pip but go no father, some just die and do not pip, some are stuck in the egg after they zip those one I can help, and some come out no problems.
1st batch pekin bantam eggs 3 chicks (from 42 Eggs set) all water trays full as per instruction,
2nd batch 7 chicks (from 42 eggs set) pekin again biggest tray full and the smallest one filled at day 18,
3rd batch ISA browns eggs 9 chicks (but only 24 eggs set) the smallest tray filled with water and the biggest water tray filled from day 18.
This batch ISA's no water not a drop from day 1 till now this is day 15 and the humidity in the bator has been max 44% min 36% up till now. With candling I have removed 18 eggs 16 was clear infertile the other 2 had quitters. There is 24 eggs (from 42 eggs) with fully formed chicks in them,
I can hardly wait for the next 6 days to go to see if this has worked.
But I must say that I live on the east coast of Australia and it has been very humid, I am sure I would have to make adjustment to this in other conditions. My workshop down under the house where the incubator is, the room has a humidity running on a average of 70% 75%
As you can see I have come from heaps of water till hardly any, so I will only be adding water from day 18 to bring the humidity up to 60% 65%
Ron

 

[DANNY]

Hi Ron
It sounds like you have it figured out though 40% does seem a little low. As you say your climate is a little different than the norm with that high humidity. I am just curious what day do your eggs normally start pipping and finish hatching?