DO YOU COUNT FROM THE DAY YOU SET OR 24 hours later?

Faerytalefarm

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Sep 23, 2011
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I've been told by several people that they count the day they set as day 1 not 24 hours later as day 1. Just curious since Lockdown time is coming up soon.
 
It depends on if you set in the morning. If it's afternoon when I set, I count the next day as day 1. I also don't "lockdown" on day 18---but wait for the first chick to pip and then lockdown. That way the eggs lose the appropriate weight and you don't have hatches that are too wet with complications like drowning in the shell.
 
I got it from Pete55 on his tread about weight and humidity. VERY interesting read. I really think it saved some little chicks butts. If I had locked down on day 18 like normal, they wouldn't have lost enough weight/fluid and I really feel I would not have gotten as good of a hatch as I did.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=491013

I've shared this a million times, but I think everyone should give it a read. It makes perfect sense.
 
When you put the eggs in the bator you have zero development. After 24 hours, you have 24 hours, or one day, of development. So day one is one full day after you have put them in the incubator. It doesn't really matter so much for when you put them in lockdown, as a day early or a day late won't really matter, but it does help to keep your nerves steady come hatch time. But if you count the day you put them in as day 1, you'll be expecting them to hatch out a day earlier than they should, and you'll be worrying that they're late, or dead, when they're actually fine and just not quite ready...

A good way to remember it is like this: They should hatch on the same day of the week as the day you put them in.
So if you set them on a Tuesday, then day 21, the day they should hatch, will also be a Tuesday.
 
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HEre is MY personal rule...If I set the eggs before noon I count that day as day 1. If I set the eggs after noon then I coudnt the next day as day 1.
 
Thank you for all the great information! It's very helpful!
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