I know people who have raised chickens for years who use dry incubation and do not raise the humidity during hatching, and say they get great results. As long as you have around 15% to 17% humidity, it works. That is what I am trying. I have 2 brooders with 13 eggs under them, I have 24 fertilized eggs in an incubator with humidity, most are due to hatch soon and 6 eggs I am trying dry hatching with under a lamp in a room with no A/C but has a ceiling fan for air circulation. The temp is consistently 100% under the lamp. I have a bowl under the lamp with water and a sponge to ensure it has at least 15% humidity. I will turn them multiple times a day. I placed them in a paper pulp carton yesterday, pointed side down. My current incubator doesn't allow a dry hatch because the minimum humidity level it allows is 30% but you can't regulate the humidity to an exact amount, you can only raise it or allow it to fall and set the alarm if it falls below a certain amount. You can't disable the alarm, so if I attempted dry hatch in that one the alarm would never shut up. I am in the process of making an incubator out of a mini fridge to my own specs with humidity control and I plan to buy another incubator which does allow for more precise humidity control. If my dry hatch doesn't work, I am only out 6 eggs. This is my 3rd year of breeding and raising chickens. My brooders and my incubator have worked really well for me and I don't follow the rules about lock downs and incubating all the eggs at the same time, they are staggered. I decided to get creative and try dry hatch yesterday. If this doesn't work I will try it in an incubator once I get a better one or finish the one I will build. I am glad yours worked out for you.
Very interesting and good that you're trying a few different options. I heard dry hatch does well and I think that helps so the chicks don't drown during the end process. It's good to experiment and I think the results also depend on the temperature and humidity in your region as well. Sounds like you'll have success in one or more of those options for sure! It's satisfying knowing you're part of the process!
I love baby chicks i love them!!! theyre delightful - I love them lots !!!! theyre really super cool and I want to kiss them all, all of them and i want to hold them in my hands and feed them!! i love them lots!!! bless them all!!
I know people who have raised chickens for years who use dry incubation and do not raise the humidity during hatching, and say they get great results. As long as you have around 15% to 17% humidity, it works.
That is what I am trying. I have 2 brooders with 13 eggs under them, I have 24 fertilized eggs in an incubator with humidity, most are due to hatch soon and 6 eggs I am trying dry hatching with under a lamp in a room with no A/C but has a ceiling fan for air circulation. The temp is consistently 100% under the lamp. I have a bowl under the lamp with water and a sponge to ensure it has at least 15% humidity. I will turn them multiple times a day. I placed them in a paper pulp carton yesterday, pointed side down.
My current incubator doesn't allow a dry hatch because the minimum humidity level it allows is 30% but you can't regulate the humidity to an exact amount, you can only raise it or allow it to fall and set the alarm if it falls below a certain amount. You can't disable the alarm, so if I attempted dry hatch in that one the alarm would never shut up. I am in the process of making an incubator out of a mini fridge to my own specs with humidity control and I plan to buy another incubator which does allow for more precise humidity control. If my dry hatch doesn't work, I am only out 6 eggs. This is my 3rd year of breeding and raising chickens. My brooders and my incubator have worked really well for me and I don't follow the rules about lock downs and incubating all the eggs at the same time, they are staggered. I decided to get creative and try dry hatch yesterday. If this doesn't work I will try it in an incubator once I get a better one or finish the one I will build.
I am glad yours worked out for you.
Very interesting and good that you're trying a few different options. I heard dry hatch does well and I think that helps so the chicks don't drown during the end process. It's good to experiment and I think the results also depend on the temperature and humidity in your region as well. Sounds like you'll have success in one or more of those options for sure! It's satisfying knowing you're part of the process!
with the price of eggs now ,great idea thanks friend connie
It forces many to consider doing things like this.
I love baby chicks i love them!!! theyre delightful - I love them lots !!!! theyre really super cool and I want to kiss them all, all of them and i want to hold them in my hands and feed them!! i love them lots!!! bless them all!!
Same here! I wish they would just stay wee little all the time. They're fun to watch!
At the side of your basket was it glass or plastic so you van look inside or it wasn't covered?
I used glass. It's what I had on hand. I took it out of a picture frame I wasn't using. Clear plastic would work as well.