getting ready for lockdown egg carton ?

[mischievouschickens]

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Some people cut holes, others do not. Personally, I will not as I have heard that it doesn't make a difference. Of course, to each his/her own. People generally use egg cartons for the entire hatch when they don't have auto-egg turners. The cartons hold the eggs and you can raise one side or the opposite side several times per day to simulate what an auto-egg turner does for you. If you have an auto-egg turner, simply take it out on lock down day, replace it with an egg carton and you are good to go! Oh, and some people prefer to add a surface that is easier on the fuzz balls, i.e. shelf liner, over the incubator wire mesh and under the egg carton.

 

[bigdawg]

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lock down day 18 of incubating. if you have a turner take it out and put the eggs flat on the wire. also fill all water trays in the bottom with water. last three days you want humidity a lot higher. oh most important do not open the bator the last three days. when the first hatches leave it in there until 24 hrs have past and quickly open and get out the ones that have dried off good. also take out red vent plugs when hatch starts. thats what i do. if i am wrong somewhere, someone please tell me a different way. i am all out for improving my hatch rate.

 

[mischievouschickens]

Quote:
Lockdown is the time period (last 3 days of incubation) where you do not turn the eggs nor open the bator for *any* reason - hence, "lockdown". Generally speaking, you will also allow another 2 days or so for any "late-developers" and any hatched chicks to fluff and dry out. They do not need to be fed or offered any water while still in the incubator.

You want to raise your humidity during lockdown and hold it steady. I am using the "dry incubation method" and will up my humidity from 30%-35% during Days 1-18 to about 65% during Days 19-21. But that's just me. Others swear by their methods and I am only just starting out as well. Above all else, simply enjoy the experience!

ETA: Clarification, bigdawg is correct. I didn't meant to imply that you leave hatched chicks in the bator a minimum of two additional days. Take them out when they've dried and fluffed out and place them in your brooder. Don't forget to dip the beak of each of your new chickies into your waterer to make sure they know where to find and how to drink water. The two additional days is meant as a buffer. Other eggs may hatch later than the expected 21 days.

 

[bigdawg]

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my fault i didnt make my self clear. please keep us posted on how the egg carton hatch goes. i cant wait till i hatch mine that way. just 14 days to go. good luck with your hatch...........................

 

[dragonchick]

On lockdown do you replace the ventilation plugs to keep the humidity in or leave them out? My bator will be forced air so do I leave the fan off or on?

 

[bigdawg]

fan on and i take the plugs out when the first one pips to help with fresh air flow. works for me

 

[dragonchick]

Thank you

 

[Dane Chick]

Thank You for your responses! i am very appreciative of the information and direction. Can you also explain timing for placing the eggs into cartons? I read in one post that it was at the beginning and the cartons were tilted from side to side (in place of turning the eggs a quarter rotation), but in other posts it appears the protocol is to place the eggs in cartons prior to lock down. I am only on day three and already the excitement is killing me, lol. My broody hen is on day 11 on her 5 eggs in the coop. This is such a fantastic way to keep my mind off the impending winter gloom.

 

[bigdawg]

are you hand turning or automatic turner? hand turning the eggs are already on there sides so, the only benifit the cartons would be is keeping the first one hatched from playing bowling ball with rest of the unhatched eggs. auto turner the eggs are upright small end down, so at day 18 you take out the turner put the eggs small end down in the egg cartons and put them back in the bator with water trays filled for extra humidity. that way the eggs hatch in the same way that were incubating, hopefully making the hatch rate much higher. i am trying the egg carton method for the first time, but i am only at day 8 so i have a few more days to go. happy hatching.............

you can use the cartons from day one if you tilt the cartons 3 times a day and at day 18 stop tilting and leave the cartons flat in the bottom

 

[Dane Chick]

Thanks Bigdawg, I am new to this as it is my first hatch. I have researched as much as i possibly can. I am using a still air incubator with no fan nor turner. I am at day three (gosh it seems WAYYYYYY longer, lol) and tonight when i would have turned them i decided to put them in cartons small end down and lift up one side with a tinker toy wheel so it is a good inch higher then the other side. I will do this side to side and front to back three times a day. I think i had too much water in the bottom so i removed most of the water (in response to reading about "dry hatching") and will increase humidity later in the cycle. I have learned so much from reading all the posts and now i am taking all the info and playing the odds a little with what resonates in my spirit i guess. I am so excited and my little heart is very invested that i will be sad if i have no results at all. I will have to be patient though as this first time is an edu experience. To me each egg is a life force and i am rooting for its survival. Thank you for your help. I will keep you posted as to how it all works out