Quote:
You'll find varying opinions on this. It really does depend on your incubator. I have a small homemade wooden bator that doesn't lose heat and humidity easily, and "lockdown" for me is really not locked down at all -- I open it several times a day to re-wet the sponges I use for humidity, and I pull chicks out all the time when I'm hatching. For me, once they're dry (not necessarily fluffy, that can take days) they can come out, and whether there are other eggs pipped or zipped at the time doesn't make a difference. I just open the door, snatch out the chick, shut the door and plunk the chick down in the brooder -- my humidity might fall a few % but it's never caused any problems.
In my case, because I hatch on the very small floor of the bator on a teatowel (no egg cartons or fancy non-skid surfaces or anything here!), I really have to get the active chicks out. Once they get their legs under them they start playing soccer with the other eggs and that, IMHO, is more dangerous than a 2-second door opening.
Here's a pic from one of last year's hatches -- you can see a bunch of them in there drying off, and you can see what I mean about no room to move without batting the others around...!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/32476_p7120295.jpg
I have a Brinsea advance Ex and don't have to mess with sponges...I have the water reservoir. I was told I can take mine out also when dry...guess dry incubating is totally different.
You'll find varying opinions on this. It really does depend on your incubator. I have a small homemade wooden bator that doesn't lose heat and humidity easily, and "lockdown" for me is really not locked down at all -- I open it several times a day to re-wet the sponges I use for humidity, and I pull chicks out all the time when I'm hatching. For me, once they're dry (not necessarily fluffy, that can take days) they can come out, and whether there are other eggs pipped or zipped at the time doesn't make a difference. I just open the door, snatch out the chick, shut the door and plunk the chick down in the brooder -- my humidity might fall a few % but it's never caused any problems.
In my case, because I hatch on the very small floor of the bator on a teatowel (no egg cartons or fancy non-skid surfaces or anything here!), I really have to get the active chicks out. Once they get their legs under them they start playing soccer with the other eggs and that, IMHO, is more dangerous than a 2-second door opening.
Here's a pic from one of last year's hatches -- you can see a bunch of them in there drying off, and you can see what I mean about no room to move without batting the others around...!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/32476_p7120295.jpg
I have a Brinsea advance Ex and don't have to mess with sponges...I have the water reservoir. I was told I can take mine out also when dry...guess dry incubating is totally different.
pped!
