Genesis 1588 / Dry Hatch?

[MelissaA]

Just wondering if anyone with a Genesis 1588 has read this dry hatch article and tried it? He talks about removing all the red plugs, but this model only has the one plug.....comments anyone? Thanks for the help!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html

 

[silkiechick05]

I don't know. I am hatching with the red plug out so the chicks can get more O2.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Hi, I always dry hatch now but it is really more like dry incubating. I have found that 20-40% the first 18 days and about 60-70 at lockdown works great out here.

I would aim for 35% but not make yourself stressed over it. The only thing I have noticed (thanks to a friend who keeps good records) is that dry incubated chicks seem a little smaller. They do catch up with the rest over about a four week time. But they are a little smaller.
However, they don't drown after pipping! I like to do lockdown with my plug in to keep the humidity more balanced. I have noticed also that the humidity spikes are what seems to make some of my chicks get "glued" in. Then I have to help them out.

Yesterday and today I have hatched out about 10 chicks mostly silkies using the dry incubation. They hatched a few days early, probably due to me not keeping them cool during storage. Anyway.... I had not added any humidity and they hatched out with no problem, fluffy, dry and healthy at about 30% humidity and that was due to the chicks hatching in there. I wouldn't try this with shipped eggs or precious eggs though

 

[MelissaA]

I candled my eggs last night- Day 7. It seems like the air cell takes up about half the egg. Doesn't that seem way too big? I took the red plug out- is there anything else I can do? I am going to get a hydrometer today.

 

[Lotsapaints]

It shouldn't be quite that big so add water and don't forget to calibrate your hyrometer before you put it in. I do like rustyswoma and I have real good hatches even with turkeys and I agree about stickiness with spikes in the humidity. Good luck and try not to over worry good eggs hatch even if you do things wrong

 

[MelissaA]

thanks! What do you do if you humidity is too low during lock down? Just try to increase the humidity in the room?

 

[Lotsapaints]

when you get to that point you should have figured out how to fix the humidity there are 2 channels for my incubator I fill them both when I go into lock down if not high enough I add a sponge or piece of terry cloth where I can add water to it with a straw or piece of tubing so I don't open it and lose humidity and that gets it plenty high so far.

 

[MelissaA]

oh the sponge is a great idea! thanks!