Operation Dry Hatch

[zekii]

Just completed my 1st dry incubation in my new Sportsman 1502, and I am sold on Dry incubation.
I did not add any water to the incubator, the reading on the digtial display showed a RH of 21 to 25% during the incubation, and my room RH was 43 to 54%. 20 Maran eggs put in hatcher, and water added to raise the humidity during the hatch, and 20 eggs hatched.
So if the room you have your incubator in has a RH of around 50% you will do good with a dry incubation.

 

[maryhysong]

would this work on geese and duck eggs or just for chickens???

worked well for my Welsh Harlequins; had some hatches at 100%

 

[zekii]

worked well for my Welsh Harlequins; had some hatches at 100%

With duck or geese eggs, I would mist the eggs with lukewarm water daily from day 4 to day 25.
This had definitely help my waterfowl hatches.

 

[Rosie42892]

Hello everyone! I have hatched chicks successfully with the dry incubation method. In a funny turn of events, I now am going to try to hatch some BR turkey poults. Does anyone recommend using the dry incubation method with them as well? Any thoughts are appreciated!

 

[LizCar]

Can you dry hatch if you don't have an egg turner and have to open the incubator often to turn eggs? Can you dry hatch small eggs? Serama? I read someone say they had terrible luck with their bantams.

 

[lazy gardener]

You can dry hatch with or without a turner. So far as I know, you can dry hatch any kind of chicken eggs. And, no matter what the issue, there will be someone who has a hard time with it. There are so many variables with hatching that can make or break the deal. The important thing is to read, and learn from those who have good hatches. IMO, a lot of the failures are related to faulty thermometers.

 

[LizCar]

You can dry hatch with or without a turner. So far as I know, you can dry hatch any kind of chicken eggs. And, no matter what the issue, there will be someone who has a hard time with it. There are so many variables with hatching that can make or break the deal. The important thing is to read, and learn from those who have good hatches. IMO, a lot of the failures are related to faulty thermometers.

Thank you. Can you recommend a good thermometer?

 

[lazy gardener]

Sorry, can't help you there. I even have 2 thermometers of the same brand that differ by a couple of degrees. Your best bet is to use a medical thermometer (like one you'd put under your tongue) in a cup of 100 degree water. Then take the thermometer you plan to use ( I like a nice big thermometer with easy to read numbers. I have an outdoor thermometer with the rod length being about 5.5" long.) Put that in the cup with the medical thermometer and note the temperature difference. My rod reads 1 degree lower than the medical thermometer, so I know that when it reads 98 degrees, the incubator is actually 99 degrees. But, my preference is for a digital that reads in tenth of a degree, so I use a digital Incutherm+ that gives me both temp and humidity readings. It responds quickly, so I can get the high and low readings as my heater cycles on and off, which helps me to keep track of the average temp. But, I still use the medical thermometer as my gold standard. I keep a mercury thermometer in the warmest part of the incubator at all times. At times, I have 3 or 4 thermometers in the incubator at once!

 

[okiemamachick]

Wholewheatchicken- you would be surprised how many people I have met that live in Owasso or Collinsville on BYC!

Nate

old thread I know lol just noticed you mentioned Owasso and I'm over here in measly ol Hominy lol im searching byc feverishly as im about to do my first incubation and Im nervous! anyhow I said all that to say, Hello fellow okie!

 

[MrsDickey]

old thread I know lol just noticed you mentioned Owasso and I'm over here in measly ol Hominy lol im searching byc feverishly as im about to do my first incubation and Im nervous! anyhow I said all that to say, Hello fellow okie!

Haha! Same here only I'm in Sperry!!