Setting up the bator and setting shipped eggs this week....anyone else wanna join?

[delisha]

I do not add water in the reservors ever. I do have two shot glasses that I use if I need moisture. Eggs are so fragil and get infections so easy I try hard to illiminate any possibility of contamination. I try not to touch the eggs with hands unless they have been sanitized or gloved.

 

[chickenlickin8]

I do not add water in the reservoirs ever. I do have two shot glasses that I use if I need moisture. Eggs are so fragile and get infections so easy I try hard to eliminate any possibility of contamination. I try not to touch the eggs with hands unless they have been sanitized or gloved.

That's interesting...so you dry hatch with no water in the reservoirs through the incubation until lockdown and then you add water? How do the eggs not dry out?

 

[delisha]

Quote: I have never had an egg dry out.

I live in Wisconsin and we have pretty high humidity. Right now my bator reads 35% without any water in it. If it drops below 20% I do drop a moist papertowel (wadded up) in one of the shot glasses. Chicks use the moisture inside to grow and develope. As they develope they loose moisture and the air cells grow larger. The dryer humidity get the egg ready to hatch for the first 18 days, the last days of moisture helps the chick break the egg and move. Too much moisture and you might have absorption issues, belly botton issues, leg issues, swollen bellys,.infections etc.all that moisture stuffed in an egg..if you think about it logically it is funny that more chicks do not have infection issues..dryer hatches just mimic the hen better if you live in a damper climate. It might not work for everyone. Each climate is different. For me, dry hatch works best.

 

[wagoncab]

I have made one more minor adjustment and am now holding steady at 100.

Cindy

 

[delisha]

I also have a broody that is due on the 30th. Poor thing..it is -10 today.

 

[Gallina Sarda]

Very interesting about the humidity. Without any water my bator was at 16% humidity, so I added one pan of water and brought it up to 50%. I'm in Maine and we heat with wood. There is essentially no humidity in my house right now.. Depending on who you listen to, I should be trying to keep my humidity between 30-50% and then raise it at lockdown. Does this sound right?

This is too exciting, so many fellow hatchers!

 

[Gallina Sarda]

I also have a broody that is due on the 30th. Poor thing..it is -10 today.

So lucky they have all that fluff... Will keep fingers crossed for her egglets.

 

[delisha]

Quote: Thank you..
Heating with wood will definatly dry you out. I would say you are spot on for humidity

 

[chickenlickin8]

I've never tried a dry hatch but I'm in FL...land of humidity so I'm think I should be fine if I try it. Currently I am keep the water reservoirs full and the humidity reads 54%.

Delisha - that is really cold! I hope your poor broody is wearing a coat and hat. Plus a blanket and a fireplace.... BRRRRRRRRR!

 

[delisha]

I've never tried a dry hatch but I'm in FL...land of humidity so I'm think I should be fine if I try it. Currently I am keep the water reservoirs full and the humidity reads 54%.

Delisha - that is really cold! I hope your poor broody is wearing a coat and hat. Plus a blanket and a fireplace.... BRRRRRRRRR!

I would not blame her if she got off. Sometimes I wish she would. I feel so bad for her, but, glad she does not have chicks to keep warm.