Thoughts on Dry Hatch & Oh Yea They're Hatching!! Pics added

[Wynette]

rustyswoman - that's very interesting, and sounds like it would be the "visual perspective" of the weight loss method. I also think it REALLY depends on what part of the country you're in as to climate, altitude, etc. Once you figure out exactly what type of incubation works (regarding temps and humidity) in your area, stick with it!

 

[Germaine_11.20]

It is interesting isn't it. And it sure does make a difference on where you live. In the summer and fall the lowest the incubator humidity would go when dry was 18%. Now with winter it goes to 13%.
Interestingly though the air cells rarely go past where they should. Only on the really porous eggs.

 

[halo]

I havent read thru this whole thread, but Im all over a drier hatch. I have a Genesis Hova that I put my eggs in for the first 18 days, and then put them in a Hova 1602 for the last couple of days to hatch. I dont monitor the Genesis very closely, and only add water now and again...I dont have a hygrometer in it. This past week I had a hatch, and monitored my 1602 closely. Had a good hatch; kept the humidity to about 50. Well, I decided Id better add some water to the Genesis, since Id been ignoring it because of the hatch, and had it full of eggs for future hatches. I opened the top, and there was 6 babies looking at me...I had failed to remove all the eggs that were due. Every single one I left behind hatched perfectly.

So I dont worry about humidity too much any more.

 

[swheat]

I agree with Halo,

but we both live in very humid climates. At least there is something good comes out of the humid weather we have here. there was a time I forgot to add the water on the 18th day and they still hatched pretty good, only having to moisten a couple of egg membranes for the chick to come on out.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Quote:
What a great surprise. I wish I could have seen the look on your face when you saw them!

 

[The Sheriff]

Probably wouldn't work here. The humidity in my house is 15.8% this morning.

 

[JanieMarie]

You lucky people in humid climates sounds like you have a lot less stress incubating than us in drier climates! What a wonderful surprise Halo!

I've thought of doing the weighing but #1 I don't have an accurate scale and #2 If candling can be hard on eggs I would think taking them all out and weighing them from time to time couldn't be real good either. Out of curiosity does anyone know the percentages of weight loss to aim for?

sangle I thought your air cell looked a bit on the small side but take it with a grain of salt!

bjharrington I just put them in the cups for short periods of time. It keeps them upright and they push up with their legs and my hopes are it will help strengthen their legs.

 

[ParadisePoultry]

JanieMarie- An egg is supposed to loose 10% of it's weight by hatching time. Although I don't know how much by what date of incubating. You can just weigh the whole carton at a time, unless they are only in the carton for hatching. You do need a good scale though. We have one that we use when processing our meaties. It is digital, weighs to 1/8 th ounce or grams. I got it at Wally world several years ago, about 30.00 back then and well worth it. Cheers, bj

 

[JanieMarie]

Thanks bj! Might have to look in to getting a scale. And I just noticed you're from MN! Nice to have it warmer today!!

 

[sangel4you]

ok thanks, I'm not adding water until it's in the 20's unless I'm going to bed and it's at like 30. And If it's 35 or higher I'm taking my 2nd vent plug out as it does not seem to affect the temp for me. So I'm not giving them a lot of water in there, but I'm not letting them go without watching it either. Gonna check air cell size again tonight on 1 or 2