Humidity

[Hatching Addict]

There is a difference between "dry incubation" which is only a little higher than ambient humidity to manage egg water loss, and "dry hatching" which, unless the environment is virtually sealed, I would see as a big challenge.

You're right...I should have been more specific in my response....I don't add any water during incubation (which I called dry hatch) resulting in incubator humidity in the 30% range (usually)....however when I move eggs to the hatcher...then I increase humidity to 60% and up.

 

[scflock]

I think it works best in the styrofoam bators. SC used it in his Brinsea with not so good turn out. I don't know this (yet) but I am thinking maybe it doesn't work so well with plastic bators....I will eventually have enough info to come to a hypothesis on this.

I'm curious to know that, myself. It does seem that the majority of dry hatchers use styrofoam. I only tried it one time, and had my lowest results, but that's not enough of a test to say that the low results were directly related to dry hatching. I just went back to what works for me

 

[WalnutHill]

I was going to try the dry hatching but when I started off at 30% my egg weight dropped like a rock.
See pic of weight chart below. Went Back to 55%. I live in central Texas. Humidity has been high all week long (60-80% outside). And I did check all my gages before setting eggs.

My chart from last year is much like that. I weighed each egg to maintain overall target.

First weighing at lay, be sure to control humidity during storage. A ziplock works.

Second weighing at 7.5 days chicken, 10 days turkey. Should show -4.5% from initial weight.

Next weighing at 10.5 days chicken, 14 days turkey. Should show another -4.5% change, for 9% from initial.

Final weighing at 15.75 days chicken, 21 days turkey. Should show another -4.5% change, for 13.5% from initial.

After this it is very challenging and perhaps harmful to try to modify internal egg conditions. Each egg is individual in age, porosity, shell thickness, albumen thickness, etc so these are average weights for the set. That is why many people weigh the tray rather than each egg.

Go to hatching humidity at lockdown.

This has worked very well for me but I find it much easier just to watch the air cells for proportional growth.

 

[scflock]

My chart from last year is much like that. I weighed each egg to maintain overall target.

First weighing at lay, be sure to control humidity during storage. A ziplock works.

Second weighing at 7.5 days chicken, 10 days turkey. Should show -4.5% from initial weight.

Next weighing at 10.5 days chicken, 14 days turkey. Should show another -4.5% change, for 9% from initial.

Final weighing at 15.75 days chicken, 21 days turkey. Should show another -4.5% change, for 13.5% from initial.

After this it is very challenging and perhaps harmful to try to modify internal egg conditions. Each egg is individual in age, porosity, shell thickness, albumen thickness, etc so these are average weights for the set. That is why many people weigh the tray rather than each egg.

Go to hatching humidity at lockdown.

This has worked very well for me but I find it much easier just to watch the air cells for proportional growth.

I am so lazy. I just turn it on and cross my fingers...

 

[WalnutHill]

I am so lazy. I just turn it on and cross my fingers...

I am getting there with my new cabinet. Once it's set then I shouldn't have to mess with it other than cleaning up the mess after hatching. I need a better way to contain the yuck.

 

[Hatching Addict]

I think it works best in the styrofoam bators. SC used it in his Brinsea with not so good turn out. I don't know this (yet) but I am thinking maybe it doesn't work so well with plastic bators....I will eventually have enough info to come to a hypothesis on this.

That seems true to my experiences as well. I mainly use styrofoam bators. However, I have been using a Janoel for a friend that couldn't figure it out. It is all plastic and so far....(except for the hatch where the turner quit) I have had good hatches with it using the "dry hatch" method. I don't think the larger cabinet type incubators benefit from this method.

 

[scflock]

I am getting there with my new cabinet. Once it's set then I shouldn't have to mess with it other than cleaning up the mess after hatching. I need a better way to contain the yuck.

I wasn't touting the Brinsea, I'm just lazy. The breakdown after hatch and cleaning is definitely the worst part

 

[chickkrzi]

I was going to try the dry hatching but when I started off at 30% my egg weight dropped like a rock.
See pic of weight chart below. Went Back to 55%. I live in central Texas. Humidity has been high all week long (60-80% outside). And I did check all my gages before setting eggs.

OK maybe I miss spoke, should have said "dry incubating". In my case I can't see keeping my humidity down around 30/40 % humidity and coming out with only 13-14% weight loss. Was just wondering if anyone else that use those lower humidity values ever check to see just how much egg weight loss happen during "dry incubating " is it more than 13-14% ?

 

[scflock]

That seems true to my experiences as well. I mainly use styrofoam bators. However, I have been using a Janoel for a friend that couldn't figure it out. It is all plastic and so far....(except for the hatch where the turner quit) I have had good hatches with it using the "dry hatch" method. I don't think the larger cabinet type incubators benefit from this method.

In my mind, I would compare a Janoel more to styrofoam, but I have never seen one so I could be way off. I am hatching in an Octagon 20, and although it is small, it is incredibly stable with temp and humidity, I think because it is such a heavy plastic and so well insulated. My best results always come from 40-42% humidity

 

[Hatching Addict]

In my mind, I would compare a Janoel more to styrofoam, but I have never seen one so I could be way off. I am hatching in an Octagon 20, and although it is small, it is incredibly stable with temp and humidity, I think because it is such a heavy plastic and so well insulated. My best results always come from 40-42% humidity