My "Experiment" eggs are due Wednesday! UPDATE: PICS!

[juliechick]

I've been having a lot of trouble with chicks dying at day 18 or 19, or pipping and then never hatching. Some people suggested that it was humidity problems and I have heard of "dry" incubation, so I thought I would experiment. I set some EE eggs 18 days ago in my Hovabator. I haven't added any water at all. The humidity on my hygrometer has stayed at 20% all this time. I checked the eggs every few days and the air cells are not huge; they look normal. I did put a wet cloth in when I put them into lockdown, but I'm planning on only raising the humidity a little bit.

Can't wait to see what happens!

 

[Wyogirl]

Did anything happen??
Ayda

 

[mandelyn]

I'm doing the same "experiment" but I'm aiming for 30% humidity. When I fill the tray as directed it keeps trying to hang at 60% and that's way too high and a constant battle. So, I filled a shallow lid of a yogurt container, less surface area for the water, less humidity.

I had thought with it being winter it wouldn't be as big an issue with the heat on, but that wasn't the case for me.

Anything happen for you yet? I'm only a couple days in.

 

[CALI CHICK]

I've been having a lot of trouble with chicks dying at day 18 or 19, or pipping and then never hatching. Some people suggested that it was humidity problems and I have heard of "dry" incubation, so I thought I would experiment. I set some EE eggs 18 days ago in my Hovabator. I haven't added any water at all. The humidity on my hygrometer has stayed at 20% all this time. I checked the eggs every few days and the air cells are not huge; they look normal. I did put a wet cloth in when I put them into lockdown, but I'm planning on only raising the humidity a little bit.

Can't wait to see what happens!

I'm doing dry incubation as well. My humidity is averaging about 25%. I add water to a sponge if it drops below 20%. I will continue shooting for 25-30% humidity through - Day 18. Then, I understand that you need to "increase" the humidity to 60-65% or the chicks will get shrink wrapped inside their own membrane. If humidity is too high during a hatch, they drown....if too low they shrink wrap.

Hope you have a successful hatch this time.

​

 

[juliechick]

They started hatching yesterday and so far I have 5 healthy, very active chicks! They all hatched "cleanly". Not a lot of goo and stuff like there is sometimes. I'm waiting on the last pipped egg to hatch tonight. There was one that hasn't pipped, so I'm pretty sure that one isn't going to hatch.
This one looks like a Chickadee in the face, so I think that's a good name for her.

 

[juliechick]

Here's another cutie. Looks like a blue one. BTW, I just saw these replies a few minutes ago. I thought no one had responded. Hope you enjoy the chick pics and good luck on your hatches!!

 

[CALI CHICK]

Julie Chick Congratulations! Your Fluffballs are adorable!

By the way, I'm curious what your humidity was for the hatch day? Did it stay at 20% or go up when the chicks started to pip?

 

[pawtraitart]

Adorable babies! Congrats.

 

[Wyogirl]

Ayda

 

[juliechick]

Julie Chick Congratulations! Your Fluffballs are adorable!

By the way, I'm curious what your humidity was for the hatch day? Did it stay at 20% or go up when the chicks started to pip?

I added a little water to get it up around 30% before I went to bed the first night. As the chicks hatched, it would go up to 60%, then back down to around 40 as they dried out. I added a little water if it got back into the 20s.