Ella2025's Experiment Broody Hen Hatch-A-Long

[ChickenChick46]

I'm thinking my next hatch I might try a dry hatch. The last two hatches I had a dismal hatch rate, so I figure it can't get any worse. Most of the trouble came in at the end trying to maintain a higher humidity during lockdown.

Okay maybe I'm dumb, but I haven't heard of this. How does it work?

 

[ChickenChick46]

Yep! Here is a photo. I'm not 100% sure about it, but the dot looks quite big and like a bullseye.
View attachment 4228330View attachment 4228331

That looks fertile to me.

 

[ella2025]

What helped me immensely was putting a bowl (with straight sides so that as water runs out the surface area doesn't decrease) in the incubator and filling that once every 2, 3 days. I was having huge issues with dipping and spiking humidity levels until I did that. Good luck with your future hatch!

Use a bigger, still straight sides bowl for lockdown. Here are the ones I used for my 30 egg incubator to maintain 50% and 70% humidity consistently. Make sure the bowl for lockdown is very tall/deep so that chicks don't fall in.

 

[redinator]

I think the large spot means she's back in breeding condition, meaning she's fertile, but fertilized (developing embryo) would have more of a ring/bullseye look. At least that's how it was explained to me.

 

[redinator]

Okay maybe I'm dumb, but I haven't heard of this. How does it work?

I think the only time you add water is at the end of the hatch during lockdown. I haven't really looked into it much, but since I'm having terrible hatches with the 'traditional method' I figure I might take a run at this method.

 

[redinator]

I think the large spot means she's back in breeding condition, meaning she's fertile, but fertilized (developing embryo) would have more of a ring/bullseye look. At least that's how it was explained to me.

I found a good image here: https://www.mypetchicken.com/blogs/...rDzyEw43fBrCFzqAP9zGoFB4aiGeNp1nWyzSWptGd62n1

 

[ChickenChick46]

I think the only time you add water is at the end of the hatch during lockdown. I haven't really looked into it much, but since I'm having terrible hatches with the 'traditional method' I figure I might take a run at this method.

I don't see why not!

 

[redinator]

It'd be just my luck I'd set a ton of eggs only expecting a few to hatch, and they'd all hatch and I'd be overrun, lol

 

[ChickenChick46]

It'd be just my luck I'd set a ton of eggs only expecting a few to hatch, and they'd all hatch and I'd be overrun, lol

Haha yep!!

 

[redinator]

Haha yep!!

More chicks during winter though would actually be a good thing, more body heat in a cuddle puddle . . .