Dry (low humidity ) Incubation Testimony

[TriciaHowe]

I have only done the dry method for a couple of years. I even hatch duck eggs that way. I am amazed at the humidity some people run their hatches at and are then surprised when they get a bad hatch. Good luck!!!

 

[toto65]

Does anyone use the dry method for turkeys? At this point I am willing to try anything to get some more to hatch. I have been having really poor hatches and am about ready to toss the incubator out the front door! I do have the idea that some of my problem was old hens. I now have narrowed my flock down to 4 hens, 3 which I know are only 18 months old or less and one that may be a litle bit older. A lot of the eggs atart out looking great but by day 18 to 20 they go bad.

 

[TriciaHowe]

I have hatched turkeys (100% hatch) using dry hatch right next to my chicken and guinea eggs (when I had guineas). They did just fine

They were bourbon red/royal palm mix bought local, not shipped

 

[beesong]

Quote:
What's your atmospheric humidity there where you are in Florida?

 

[kaitlyn_rae2003]

I could really use some advice! I go into lockdown tonight, and I have my second incubator, a hovabator, set up to use as the hatcher. I am using the dry incubation method as well; humidity ran from 27-39% day 1-18. Now my hatchers humidity is up at 85! how can i lower it? just take out sponges and water? I never anticipated this being my problem! I will take water out and see how that helps. 80's are just too high correct? Thanks so much!

 

[TriciaHowe]

Gosh, it's so hard to say in Fl LOL! Just looked on weather underground and it looks like we are running about 40% during the day and 80% at night. We run the a/c all the time though so I am thinking the house probably stays about 30% (just guessing without setting up the hygrometer outside of the bator). The weather fluctuates so much here with rain and all of that.

 

[TriciaHowe]

Quote:
Oh my! Yes! Take out all of the water you can. No sponges at all is my experience. That really ramps up the humidity something fierce. I would even leave the holes open in the top until you get back down to at the MOST 50%. Your humidity is going to go even higher when chicks start hatching and drying. Then you will end up with drowned and sticky chicks.....

 

[A.T. Hagan]

If you're not getting good hatch rates you have to keep trying different things until you do.

And when you finally do you may find you're doing something very different than others who are also getting good hatch rates.

I keep my Day 1-18 humidity as close as possible to 50-52% then go to 60-65% for the final three days. Just hatched thirty one out of thirty three eggs with that last weekend. If I get less than 80% hatch with fresh eggs I go looking for why because I am normally at 90+%.

Find what works for you then stick with it.

 

[TriciaHowe]

A.T. Hagan :

If you're not getting good hatch rates you have to keep trying different things until you do.

And when you finally do you may find you're doing something very different than others who are also getting good hatch rates.

I keep my Day 1-18 humidity as close as possible to 50-52% then go to 60-65% for the final three days. Just hatched thirty one out of thirty three eggs with that last weekend. If I get less than 80% hatch with fresh eggs I go looking for why because I am normally at 90+%.

Find what works for you then stick with it.

You know I really have to agree with you on this one.... It took me about 5 hatches with ducks to learn how to do it right and what worked for me and my particular set-up. I went from a barely 50% hatch to a consistent <90%. Usually 100%, but I only hatch 10 ducks at a time at the most due to the mess. There is no real right or wrong, you just have to see what works best for you.

 

[Msbear]

This is my third year hatching a lot of chicks and, after switching to the dry incubation method because of a friend here on BYC, I've had a huge improvement this year. Im expecting 400+ chicks/poults and have perfected my prissy-bator. I think, with any incubator, mastering its quirks is the key. Vents are wide open and I do add a few cups of water to the reservoir with sponges every week or so to keep it from dipping below 25%. I stagger like crazy and alternate hatch dates on the eggs by colored pencils... when Im ready to pop them in the hatcher, I just take all the same colored ones. I candle whenever my dear heart wants. I do hand turn but, am a bit lazy about that. I typically turn mornings and evenings. I also move the eggs from warmer pockets to cooler spots occassionally while turning.

My bator is inbetween 99-103 degrees and 25-40% humidity depending on what's going on outside... Im not a stickler about it.. I figure it would flucuate under a hen too. In the hatcher, I keep it at 70% + and around 99 degrees and I need a whole heck more than a few tablespoons to keep it high in there.

I have been amazed at my hatch rates... if it develops, it's hatching. I've only seen 2 blood rings, 1 or 2 quitters and some clears from my rosecombs earlier this spring. EVERYTHING else that has developed at all has been successful....


Quote:
try hatching here all summer and then say that