Lockdown, UPDATE, they are hatching.

[mochicken]

I locked down today, I have a bunch ( I think 39 or 40 ) eggs. Here are the famous last look before hatching pictures you all love so much lol, I will post pip pics and hatched pics when they start coming home to daddy

 

[mochicken]

just counted the eggs in the pictures since I was too lazy when I put them back lol 40 eggs, 39 barnyard mix and one silkie

 

[14chickmama]

Congrats and good Luck!! But I have ?s. lol I have 7 under my broody buff orp. Im very new at this. Have no clue what I'm doing. Lol just winging it. But what is lockdown? I'm assuming they are ready to hatch. And you say you have barnyard mix is that mixed breeds bc I have 4 different breeds and was worried about that bc I don't know who's eggs are who's! I've candled them but think I need a better light. I think there going to be due oct 24th. Hopefully!!

 

[mochicken]

Lockdown is on the 18th day of 21 days, you "lock down" the incubator and dont open it until after the chicks are hatched and dry. The reason is you want to keep the humidity up in the incubator so the chicks dont get "shrinkwrapped" in the eggs.

If you have a broody hen sitting on eggs just let her do her job, if she abandons them then you can worry but if she is sitting on them let her do the mommy thing, it saves you the work of incubating them.

Dont worry if they are barnyard mix, we all own a few "mutts" and they lay eggs and make noise just like any other chicken

 

[hdowden]

Quote:
lockdown when you are incubating in a bator is when, if you have an auto turnner you take them out of the turnner put them in hatching postion raise the humidity and then dont open the bator anymore till all have hatched, if you are hand turnning its the same. in both you stop turning the eggs altogther. they will be hatching with in a few days. lockdown occurs on day 18 for those who are incubating in a bator and the chicks hatch on or around day 21

barnyard mixes are mixed breeds

 

[14chickmama]

Thank you so much!! There's alot to learn. Lol

 

[mochicken]

OMG, I got up for work this morning and heard a chirp-chirp, I thought NO WAY they are hatching I just put them down yesterday, wellllllllllllllllllllllll guess what? lol

Sorry I am excited can you tell lol.

There are 4-6 pips and 3 chicks hatched, they are still a little wet but pretty dry already.

This has all been worth the wait

Here's some pics of the chicks and the pips, sorry about the white plastic thing in the way, this incubator is not the greatest to look through unfortunately.

 

[mochicken]

My wife just called and said we are up to 6 hatched and 7 pips that she can see

 

[Melissa Rose]

 

[AutumnWinds]

Congrats!!!