Dry Method Incubating

[Delaney Birds]

Hi All,

I just completed our first hatch using the dry incubation method. I didn't add any water to the HovaBator until day 17 when it went into lockdown. The unit is in our basement and the humidity was 20-35% the whole time before lockdown and then I cranked it up to 90%. So far 15 of 19 have hatched, and they were pretty wet until moved to the brooder, then "fluffed out". This evening will be day 23, so the rest will be cleaned out if they didn't hatch.

The dry method worked gret for us this time, and by upping the RH at the end we didn't have any shrink wrapped chicks

We will be seiting up again in the next day or so and will go dry again.

Delaney Birds

 

[SierraView]

 

[SkyWarrior]

 

[chicken_noob]

Good to know. I have yet to hatch any and am starting to get it all set up and when we set the eggs I too am gonna go dry.

 

[Wyogirl]

Quote:
WOW not even if it went below 20?? I have a humidity of 40 in our basement , using a Brinsea Octagon 20, and am being very diligent about temps and humidity, trying to keep it between 30-40??? It's only day 3, should I just not add any water???!!!!
What other methods had you used before?? Just curious?
And I'm jealous LOL
Congratulations

Ayda

 

[madamwlf]

Mine has stayed between 28% and 32%. So far so good.

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
I have a Brinsea Eco also, and use the dry hatching method. I think the HovaBator has a tendancy to hang on to moisture more than the Brinsea because of the material it is constructed with, (someone correct me if I'm wrong!) so they can go the full 18 days and not add water, but in the Brinsea you should keep an eye on the moisture and keep it above 20%. Using the dry method I always get a little more weight loss than the Brinsea paperworks recommends, but my hatches have been very succesful, I tend to add water about 3 times during the first 18 days. Thankfully the Brinsea is a pretty hands off incubator. You can stress if you like, or you can check it occasionally and not worry and your hatches turn out about the same.

 

[Wyogirl]

Quote:
I have a Brinsea Eco also, and use the dry hatching method. I think the HovaBator has a tendancy to hang on to moisture more than the Brinsea because of the material it is constructed with, (someone correct me if I'm wrong!) so they can go the full 18 days and not add water, but in the Brinsea you should keep an eye on the moisture and keep it above 20%. Using the dry method I always get a little more weight loss than the Brinsea paperworks recommends, but my hatches have been very succesful, I tend to add water about 3 times during the first 18 days. Thankfully the Brinsea is a pretty hands off incubator. You can stress if you like, or you can check it occasionally and not worry and your hatches turn out about the same.

Thank you for that! I have only a total of 4 chicks to show for out of well let's just say I could of bought a whole flock of them with my ebay purchases of shipped eggs. but with each and every hatch or to be more precise lack of hatches I have learned tons!! and of course with BYC forum . I will continue to incubate until I get it right, go broke or my husband leaves me LOL I just purchased the Brinsea and this will bew my first hatch with it so far so good
Ayda

 

[rarely bored]

Quote:
I'm sure those 4 chicks are very, very special! Since my youngest boy is 6 I didn't want to deal with a steep learning curve, so I just started out with the Brinsea. Have not regreted it. I've learned to trust the Brinsea thermometer instead of the battery operated one which I place in there, and I find I have to adjust the temp 2 or 3 times during a hatch. My Brinsea tends to allow the temps to climb very slowly, but that may just be my unit.

and umm, I've learned my husband prefers it when not so many chicks hatch, cuz if we get too many he may have to help build a pen or two.

 

[Wyogirl]

Rarely bored,
I have a caliber III hygrometer/thermometer, an eggometer, an acurite but have never looked at the Brisnsea thermomter itself hmmmm maybe I should! It's just very hard to see anything thru the plastic, mine was a gently used one, don't know if that has anything to do with it. am running downstairs to check it LOL
Ayda
PS also have a 6 year old boy and a 21 yr old, am busy busy busy