D'Angelo N Va. :
Ok my chicks are due to hatch on the 5th, so I start my lock down on the 2nd or 3rd?? I have to add more h20 and keep the lid shut right????? Also, once the chicks start hatching do I take the vent plugs out or leave them in????? This is my 2nd attempt at this.
Whenever I do a "lockdown," I get excited & reach for my index card with a checklist of what to do. It's kind of a "security blanket" card. You're so close!!
Check out page 1 of this thread for my post on "When is Day 1" your day count should consider what time of day you started. If I set in the morning then it's Day 1. Oh, here's the info: *When is day 1 (see #69 & #70)
http://urbanext.illinois.edu/eggs/res32-qa.html
I start lockdown on Day 18, no more turning eggs & up the humidity to 55% (that's the percentage used in the "dry incubation" method. Don't recal if you are using that or not, there are different ways of doing it that work for different people. Check out page 1 of this thread for my posted info on "Dry Incubation" method if you'd like, as a reminder of the lockdown steps.
*The dry incubation method (Day 1-17 & Day 18 "Lockdown" to Day 21+ hatch day)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/LC-DryIncubation.html
(see #3)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=113681&p=3
*Hatchability Problem Analysis (Description of daily embryo development, see Days 14-18 to understand what leads to Day 18 "lockdown")
(see pg. 11 - includes section on Nutritional Deficiencies & Toxicities in chicks)
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/aa204
I don't have vent plugs on my bator, but I understand that the chicks can use xtra ventilation.
Maybe, you'll get some other comments on that. Happy hatching!