I am in full Lock Down Mode

[indigo flats]

I am in lock down now. set these eggs Feb. 4 at 10:45 and today Feb 18 at 10:45 they came out the turner and went on lock down. Am bringing humidity up to 70% filling trays with a straw through a vent hole. I filled the biggest 2 when I took the turner out it appears that was not enough it only went to 65%. Watching temperature to see that it returns to 99.5F. Eggs were to dark so just did a sniff test on them they all smelled OK no bad odors being admitted by them. So am thinking they are still OK. Anything else I need to do?

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I am in lock down now. set these eggs Feb. 4 at 10:45 and today Feb 18 at 10:45 they came out the turner and went on lock down. Am bringing humidity up to 70% filling trays with a straw through a vent hole. I filled the biggest 2 when I took the turner out it appears that was not enough it only went to 65%. Watching temperature to see that it returns to 99.5F. Eggs were to dark so just did a sniff test on them they all smelled OK no bad odors being admitted by them. So am thinking they are still OK. Anything else I need to do?

If you are hands off, 65% is fine. If you are comfortable with higher humidity and have room you can wet a clean (unused) sponge and put it in the bator with the eggs to bring up the humidity..

 

[chickens really]

 
I am in lock down now. set these eggs Feb. 4 at 10:45 and today Feb 18 at 10:45 they came out the turner and went on lock down. Am bringing humidity up to 70% filling trays with a straw through a vent hole. I filled the biggest 2 when I took the turner out it appears that was not enough it only went to 65%. Watching temperature to see that it returns to 99.5F. Eggs were to dark so just did a sniff test on them they all smelled OK no bad odors being admitted by them. So am thinking they are still OK. Anything else I need to do?

If you are hands off, 65% is fine. If you are comfortable with higher humidity and have room you can wet a clean (unused) sponge and put it in the bator with the eggs to bring up the humidity..

I don't mean to be rude at all.....what do you mean by hands on or hands off during lock down???



Cheers....!

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I don't mean to be rude at all.....what do you mean by hands on or hands off during lock down???



Cheers....!

Hands off hatchers are hatchers that seldom candle, don't meddler and once lockdown time comes have a strict hands off policy after lockdown. No opening the bator, no touching the eggs, no assisting hatchers. Us hands on people are more involved with the incubation through candling, and do not have a hands off policy after lockdown. For instance I candle when I want, including lockdown, during hatch I remove the shells as the chicks hatch, I roll eggs over so pips stay on top, I remove chicks as they become active and I assist If I feel necessary. (Yes, I have excellent hathces usually. Between 80-100%) So if you are hands on and opening the bator during hatch, you really need a decent humidity so dry air isn't drying out the pips.

 

[chickens really]

I don't mean to be rude at all.....what do you mean by hands on or hands off during lock down???




Cheers....!

Hands off hatchers are hatchers that seldom candle, don't meddler and once lockdown time comes have a strict hands off policy after lockdown. No opening the bator, no touching the eggs, no assisting hatchers. Us hands on people are more involved with the incubation through candling, and do not have a hands off policy after lockdown. For instance I candle when I want, including lockdown, during hatch I remove the shells as the chicks hatch, I roll eggs over so pips stay on top, I remove chicks as they become active and I assist If I feel necessary. (Yes, I have excellent hathces usually. Between 80-100%) So if you are hands on and opening the bator during hatch, you really need a decent humidity so dry air isn't drying out the pips.

Oh, I guess I am hands on....lol......I just never candle after lock down although I do remove Ducklings to the brooder and remove egg shells and also assist or roll my eggs back if knocked over....


Thanks.......

 

[indigo flats]

I probably want open or remove the chicks for 48 hours I will just keep the humidity up through a vent hold with a straw.

 

[indigo flats]

Ambient temperature averaging 99.5 F and Humidity at 70%

 

[indigo flats]

All looked good this morning temperature OK humidity at 69% will watch it and add water when it drops to 65%. 19 days down and 2 to go.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Hands off hatchers are hatchers that seldom candle, don't meddler and once lockdown time comes have a strict hands off policy after lockdown. No opening the bator, no touching the eggs, no assisting hatchers. Us hands on people are more involved with the incubation through candling, and do not have a hands off policy after lockdown. For instance I candle when I want, including lockdown, during hatch I remove the shells as the chicks hatch, I roll eggs over so pips stay on top, I remove chicks as they become active and I assist If I feel necessary. (Yes, I have excellent hathces usually. Between 80-100%) So if you are hands on and opening the bator during hatch, you really need a decent humidity so dry air isn't drying out the pips.

Good Info AmyLynn!!

I am a Hands Off hatcher and have hatched for years on and off. I now, never open the incubator until all the eggs that are going to hatch have hatched---usually wait a day after the due hatch date to open and remove all the chick at one time and I have great hatches. When I decided to get more serious into hatching---I hatched over 6000 in a little over a year, my lowest hatch was 1 hatch at 95% but I figured out what caused that and it did not happen again. Most all my big hatches(200 to 300 eggs at times) are 99 to 100%.

If I was planning to become a Hands On Hatcher I would Follow AmyLynn because she has the best results as a hands-on hatcher of anyone I have ever heard of.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Good Info AmyLynn!!

I am a Hands Off hatcher and have hatched for years on and off. I now, never open the incubator until all the eggs that are going to hatch have hatched---usually wait a day after the due hatch date to open and remove all the chick at one time and I have great hatches. When I decided to get more serious into hatching---I hatched over 6000 in a little over a year, my lowest hatch was 1 hatch at 95% but I figured out what caused that and it did not happen again. Most all my big hatches(200 to 300 eggs at times) are 99 to 100%.

If I was planning to become a Hands On Hatcher I would Follow AmyLynn because she has the best results as a hands-on hatcher of anyone I have ever heard of.

Thanks. And I appreciate the validation. I love it when hands on and hands off hatchers can get along, and help together. There are so many here that think there is only one way to hatch, (of course it's their way), and don't accept differences in methods. In reality it is finding what's right for you and what you are most comfortable with. If that's doing as little as possible in relation to touching eggs, then that's what you. As long as you are having great hatches.
Now, I have to say, if I was hatching on a grand skill and using cabinet incubators, I probably wouldn't be so hands on. Between the shear amount and the differences in bators, I'd probably be standing back just waiting for the fluffies...lol Honestly after taking care of that many chicks I probably would be too tired to meddle in my hatches...lol