What am I doing wrong?

[BunsNChicks]

I tried the "dry hatch method" I did not add a drop of water to my bator until day 18. The humidity in the bator from day 1-18 was around 30-40% on day 18 it was up to 60-65%. I had a full bator...36 eggs I think and 3 chicks hatched and everyone else died in their shells.... so any ideas on what I did wrong? How do I know if they were shrink wrapped? I don't think I am going to try this dry hatch method again...maybe dry until day 10 and then up the humidity a bit then. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Nava]

I have a very high hatch rate with the dry method, in my sports man


what king of incubator do you have?

 

[HEChicken]

How good is your ventilation?

 

[BunsNChicks]

it's one of the LG styrofoam ...I don't understand it...last year I had one hatching where all the eggs hatched just fine.

 

[1muttsfan]

Have you checked your thermometer and hygrometer against calibrated ones? Where did your eggs come from?

 

[BunsNChicks]

Eggs came from my own flock. I use a digital thermometer inside a water snake...I haven't calibrated...good idea!