HOVABATOR

[AmyLynn2374]

OK, so then I must be confused as to what dry incubation is. The big wig chicken farms do a full humidity that last the first 3 days or so of incubation, at which point they cut the humidity off. Only to increase it again at 18 days. The people that try to do the same thing, that have the best % success, tell me that covering the holes and filling it up with water, only to not add any more water at all till day 18, and to let the water vent out till it is gone.

I am trying to come up with the best case plan before my daughter gets back from her mini break with the aunt. She is going to be so let down, I would like to be able to tell her the new plan. The more I do this the more I get discouraged because of the simple things. So many "opinions".

You can incubate that way. It's not wrong. It's just not typically how most of us (that I know) do dry incubation. We (I) run low from the beginning to lockdown and then up it. Most of us monitor the air cells. When you run high and let it go dry the days that it is higher the eggs are going to loose little moisture and increase near the end, which in my opinion (and this is just using my logic and unfounded) it would be harder to adjust if not enough moisture was lost. When you start dry and monitor your air cells you know if the humidity is adequate and can higher the humidity at any time if you feel the eggs are loosing too much moisture. Like I said, no way is wrong, it is just finding what works for you.

 

[lazy gardener]

OK, so then I must be confused as to what dry incubation is. The big wig chicken farms do a full humidity that last the first 3 days or so of incubation, at which point they cut the humidity off. Only to increase it again at 18 days. The people that try to do the same thing, that have the best % success, tell me that covering the holes and filling it up with water, only to not add any more water at all till day 18, and to let the water vent out till it is gone.

I am trying to come up with the best case plan before my daughter gets back from her mini break with the aunt. She is going to be so let down, I would like to be able to tell her the new plan. The more I do this the more I get discouraged because of the simple things. So many "opinions".

I've never heard of the humidity control method that you mention. My suggestion is that you run around 30 - 35% during the first 18 days, monitoring the air cells as Amy suggested. Then, increase it to 65 - 70 for the last 3 days. Candling, if done gently won't hurt them. I like to candle a single egg every day to get my fix of watching a chick dance. IMO, the most important thing you need to do is calibrate your thermometer(s). Buy yourself a good digital fever thermometer (one that you would put in your mouth). Then, get a cup of water about 100*, and suspend that one, and the bulb type that you are using in the water, and note the difference in their readings. Now, you know how to make a mental adjustment for the bulb thermometer. You can then use that in the bator to check for warm and cool spots, and to know how accurate any digital thermometer that you are putting in the bator is. Still air is recommended at 101 - 102* measured at the top of the eggs.

Do you know how to check an egg for fertility before you start incubating eggs? There are some excellent articles in the learning center "hatching 101" that will tell you so many things that you didn't even know you didn't know. If you read that entire section, you'll be better prepared the next time. Does your dtr's incubator have a thermostat? If not you can add a thermostat, and even a fan for not much more work. It will greatly enhance your success rate. Look for the excellent tutorials by googling "how to make an incubator" and look for any info with Rush Lane Poultry. He walks you through the entire process.

 

[coleson12]

I would keep the temp around 99.5, that might hatch a few more. To check fertility of your hens take a egg you are not using for incubation and crack it like you are going to make eggs. Then if you can find a white spot in the egg it is fertile(this is the "sperm") if no white spot, then egg is infertile

 

[Drewnkat]

Quote: Well, not quite.

All eggs have a white spot on them, this is the blastodisc. In unfertilized eggs, it will look like a white blob in a vaguely round shape.

If the egg is fertilized, it will have a blastoderm, a ring of cells that look more like a white bull's-eye shape.

If the white blob does not have a ring shape, the egg is not fertile.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Well, not quite.

All eggs have a white spot on them, this is the blastodisc. In unfertilized eggs, it will look like a white blob in a vaguely round shape.

If the egg is fertilized, it will have a blastoderm, a ring of cells that look more like a white bull's-eye shape.

If the white blob does not have a ring shape, the egg is not fertile.

xs 2 plus it's not sperm.