First time hatcher - Setting April 8 or 9 - Now what?

[PacsMan]

ok, so I'm about ready to go to "lock down"....

The steps are

1) increase humidity to 80-90%
2) take the eggs out of the turner and lay them on the floor of the incubator
3) don't open the lid (for anything?) until they start to hatch

Right?

Marty

 

[1muttsfan]

You got it Marty - sit on those hands when they get itchy !

I'm locking down tomorrow night, already have jitters (rechecked calibration on humidistat. Again.)

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I put my eggs into lockdown this afternoon. Today is day #19 so I must sit on my hands for two days! Tuesday ( hatch day for the eggs I put in lockdown today ) I will be putting my Pea eggs and my OE Eggs into lockdown.

 

[tricia9569]

I have been setting eggs for a while and you always want to set the freshest eggs possible,if holding them they need to be gently turned a couple of times a day...if possible have an egg turner set up somewhere so it is done for you, and yes small end down , 7 days is the maximum I would hold eggs for setting....you can try but the rate is awful.after hatching I have a brooder set up with pine shavings for them ...transferring them you have to be careful and keep them warm and stress free...the least little chill at that age and they expire..I do use chick starter and just plain water. Oh and I do have a cabinet style bator so they stay in the bottom shelf for 48 hours...food is added then and small amounts of water....they drown easily...oh and this one thing I do is set the temp lower than all the books and bators tell you...95 is where i sit it....sometimes chicks hatch for a week but it has worked for me.....heat spikes don't seem to affect the eggs as much. I am no professional so take this for what it is....just plain ole trial and error....Good luck with your hatching!

 

[wowmanacat]

Quote:
I do this all the time, checking on the incubator all the time for mine the temp is not steady at all but as of Sunday every one of the 13 eggs that I had out of 17 was moving but I still have 5 days till hatch day unless they come early.

 

[1muttsfan]

Grrrr - got home from work and humidity had dropped to 37% - #@X!#, just what I need the day of lockdown!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Ugh,

sorry that happened!

I have about 6 pips in my eggs. So far none of the EES or the Lav Ams have pipped.

Today is only day 20, so maybe they're just waited until tomorrow.

 

[1muttsfan]

Keep us posted!

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

Quote:
I will.

I haven't checked in awhile, I've been busy catching chickens. I'm selling 6 bantam hens to a lady tomorrow.

 

[Mrs. Fluffy Puffy]

I just checked on the eggs and there are 4 brown eggs pipped for sure, and one brown egg that might have a pip on the pointy end.

Oh, and the best news of all....

*Drum Roll Please....*






A LF Lavender Ameraucana pipped!!!