MY DRY HATCH INCUBATION UPDATE

[ChickyMudder]

I've read that higher temperature causes the embryo to develop faster, so it hatches earlier, no matter what the humidity is.

Lower humidity causes a bigger air cell, because the egg dries out more, but I have not heard of that affecting whether it hatches early or late.


Why would that make them hatch early?

I thought "lockdown" just meant to quit turning eggs, and leave the incubator closed. There's nothing about that to cause early hatching. Turning definitely does not stop an egg from hatching (evidence: stories of chicks that hatch early while the turner is still running, and of course chicks under a broody hen.)

In lock down, the increased humidity is said to soften the membrane and egg shell. If you had high heat throughout the incubation the chick could develop faster. If you put them in lock down early and softened the shell by increasing humidity - you could encourage early hatch. Just my best guess.

 

[NatJ]

In lock down, the increased humidity is said to soften the membrane and egg shell.

"Is said" by who? I've read quite a bit about incubation and hatching, and I haven't seen that. I'd be curious to learn more. (I've had times in the past when I "knew" something but was wrong, so if I'm wrong here I do want to figure that out.)

I know that low humidity definitely can cause the membrane to dry out and get hard after the chick pips the shell. So high humidity keeps the membrane "soft" (the way it was before) rather than letting it get dry. But I haven't heard of it getting softer than the way it started.

The shell gets thinner or weaker during incubation because the chick absorbs some calcium from the shell, but humidity does not seem to make eggshells softer. Even soaking in water does not make them soft.

If you had high heat throughout the incubation the chick could develop faster.

Yes, that definitely happens. It's pretty well documented in various places.

If you put them in lock down early and softened the shell by increasing humidity - you could encourage early hatch. Just my best guess.

I see why it would make sense, but I don't think it actually works that way. Even if the shell did get softer, that would not help the yolk sack absorb any faster, or affect any of the other details that make a chick mature enough to hatch.

 

[ChickyMudder]

"Is said" by who? I've read quite a bit about incubation and hatching, and I haven't seen that. I'd be curious to learn more. (I've had times in the past when I "knew" something but was wrong, so if I'm wrong here I do want to figure that out.)

I know that low humidity definitely can cause the membrane to dry out and get hard after the chick pips the shell. So high humidity keeps the membrane "soft" (the way it was before) rather than letting it get dry. But I haven't heard of it getting softer than the way it started.

The shell gets thinner or weaker during incubation because the chick absorbs some calcium from the shell, but humidity does not seem to make eggshells softer. Even soaking in water does not make them soft.


Yes, that definitely happens. It's pretty well documented in various places.


I see why it would make sense, but I don't think it actually works that way. Even if the shell did get softer, that would not help the yolk sack absorb any faster, or affect any of the other details that make a chick mature enough to hatch.

Ill find the article about shells softening with higher humidity.
Is the trigger for yolk sack absorption a combo of age, and air from pipping?

 

[NatJ]

Ill find the article about shells softening with higher humidity.

Thanks!

Is the trigger for yolk sack absorption a combo of age, and air from pipping?

I don't know exactly what triggers them to absorb the yolk, but it definitely starts before pipping.

Examples of two sources that talk about when the yolk begins to be absorbed:

http://extension.msstate.edu/content/stages-chick-embryo-development
"Nineteenth day - yolk sac begins to enter body cavity"

https://sora.unm.edu/sites/default/files/journals/auk/v061n02/p0235-p0241.pdf
"About two days before the embryo is ready to be hatched, a rapid growth and unfolding of the tissues at the umbilicus causethat portion of the yolk which has as yet not been absorbed to be enclosed within the abdominal cavity."

 

[4th generation farmer]

Ive been told that lower humidity and higher heat hatches early because you dry out the egg and make the air-cell bigger.
But, if I had to guess id say putting them in lock down early triggered them to hatch early. Because you did a dry hatch it was successful because their air cell was bigger. Did they all absorb the yolk? With an early hatch, this would be my concern.
These are just guesses based on the best available data.

Yesorry been a bit since I checked this thread.,yes all chick's absorbed their yolks before hatching and come out clean not sticky or weak all r thriving ATM about to get introduced to my big free-range flock of 250 layer hens and roughly 30 roosters