calculating lock down???

[daniellenoel]

Hello Everyone
I need a little help figuring out my day to lockdown and what the humidity needs to be
I set or put eggs into the incubator on Monday April 29th in the morning
Temperature has been averaging 99.6
Humidity averaging 45%

What day and time should I start lockdown?
Also what does my humidity need to be up to?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

If you set on a Monday, they'll hatch on a Monday so count back 3 days. IMHO that is flexible. It's just so the humidity will be sufficient in case they hatch early. I shoot for about 65% for the last couple days.

 

[heby]

I have a silly question. What is "lockdown"? I see it often and I'm assuming it is in reference to an incubator??

 

[BGMatt]

Not a silly question, it's a silly term that you won't see used anywhere but on BYC. It simply means the last 3 days of incubation when the humidity needs to be raised. Probably called that because you're not supposed to open incubator for those three days (or a day or two afterwards, so that everything has a chance to hatch.)

Don't feel bad about asking it stumped me when I came here too, hadn't heard it in 20 years with birds.

 

[heby]

Not a silly question, it's a silly term that you won't see used anywhere but on BYC. It simply means the last 3 days of incubation when the humidity needs to be raised. Probably called that because you're not supposed to open incubator for those three days (or a day or two afterwards, so that everything has a chance to hatch.)

Don't feel bad about asking it stumped me when I came here too, hadn't heard it in 20 years with birds.

Thank you very much. I figured it meant the last few days but I've never incubated eggs so I have no clue about humidity and such. My hubby said we need to get one but I don't think he really knows what he would be getting into. Lol.

I'm not old but I'm not up to date on a lot of lingo so maybe you could help me out with an abbreviation? What does DH stand for? I'm thinking something to do with husband???

 

[BGMatt]

There's quite a bit of information and opinion and variables about humidity. But those last few days are where most hatches go wrong. It will be very tempting to remove chicks as they hatch, but when you open incubator all the moisture rushes out, and that can instantly dry out and "glue" other chicks inside the shell. I recommend to people to not open incubator til day 23 but day 22 should be ok too.

As far as the abbreviation. Yeah I think so but I don't pay much attention to the non-chicken related abbreviations this place thinks up.

 

[Goblnfvr]

Friday the 17th would be day 18 [lockdown].
For humidity during lockdown I set mine for about 60%.
It will increase as the chicks hatch and add moisture to the incubator from drying out.
Usually i will get a few pips the evening before [the 19th for you] and chirping from the eggs.

Good luck with your hatch!!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

...
I'm not old but I'm not up to date on a lot of lingo so maybe you could help me out with an abbreviation? What does DH stand for? I'm thinking something to do with husband???

All those silly abbreviations can be found here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/241913/dh-ds-dd-d-what-do-all-these-different-ds-stand-for

Here's some more good stuff.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/184/chicken-dictionary-for-dummies/10#post_1638

 

[daniellenoel]

Thanks all
Should I candle one more time?

 

[BGMatt]

I typically candle about half of them on day 18, just because of numbers and I've gotten rid of all the infertiles already when I candle at day 7 or 10. But there's no real reason to.