First time dry hatching, What humidity should I hatch?

[Countrypunk92]

I am trying dry hatching, my incubator was at 40%, when I put them in the hatcher, it stays around `80%, isnt this too high?

 

[TallChickMagnet]

50% - 65% until the last 3 day then go up to 65% - 75%... That's what my book says...

 

[Pele]

50% - 65% until the last 3 day then go up to 65% - 75%... That's what my book says...

That's for regular hatching. Dry hatching calls for 20% - 30% until day 18, then raising it to the regular hatching humidity of 65% through 75%

 

[Countrypunk92]

For some reason it is the same humidity if I add water...

 

[TallChickMagnet]

For some reason it is the same humidity if I add water...

Is your heating element close enough to the water to effect it (evaporation)...?

 

[Countrypunk92]

It is a food dehydrator, and I have no water in the incubator.

 

[3forfree]

what temps are you keeping in the dehydrator? I've never heard of anyone using a dehydrator as an incubator. I dry hatched my last batch in a LG incubator and the humidity would stay about 30%for about a week and then drop to 23 or 24 I would put one tablespoon of water in the incubator and the humidity would go back up to 30 for another week then drop. I had 11 of 22 hatch, and the 11 that didn't hatch were fully developed but shrink wrapped.

 

[SeattleLeah]

So I have been dry hatching for some time now and I like it for the ease but I keep getting very sticky chicks. Also, nearly all my eggs make it to lock down and then only 2 or 3 out of a dozen hatch. Im worried they are getting shrink wrapped. My incubator is in the basement with ambient humidity of around 85% but inside the bator it drops to the teens. This hatch I am adding a bit of water a few times a week to keep the humidity between 20-30%. Has anyone else had problems with their humidity getting too low? Air vents are all open. It is so strange!?!? I have a hovabator styrafoam with a computer fan installed. thanks!

 

[3forfree]

I'm no expert when it comes to incubating. I've hatched pheasants in a homemade cooler bater. Chickens in a styrofoam cooler bater and the last time using a LG incubator dry with no fan. I enjoy incubating, I kept notes last time only to see what humidity stayed in the bator as the days went by. other wise what happens, happens. I get about a 50% hatch rate, one time I went 0-24 but I think I got unfertile eggs. Last time using the dry method I had 22 chicks develope fully, 11 hatched over a 3 day period, 11 were shrink wrapped, 2 were duds. Next time I incubate I will do another dry hatch but will use a fan. Keep the temps right, turn them three times a day, and have fun.

 

[mamawolf544]

I'm no expert either. But I think it depends on where you live. I have been hatching eggs for more than 15 years. I cannot use the dry hatch method here where I live. I have tried 3x and lost all the eggs every time. I will never do it again.