Has anyone ever done an early lockdown?

[Floppy Pheasant]

I've set my silkie and Brahma eggs 24hrs apart...they were both shipped,my silkies arrived three days earlier than my Brahma eggs,my silkies sat for 48hrs in an egg carton,my Brahma eggs arrived yesterday,I candled every egg,6 look sketchy from both breeds,I put my Brahma eggs in the bator 12 hours after delivery and candling.
I've been talking to breeders whom have said that lockdown can begin after day 15,I'm assuming my silkies are going to hatch early,will my Brahma's be okay in a day early lockdown?

 

[EggSighted4Life]

I agree that after day 15 it is OK to stop turning.

If you can UP your humidity for the hatching eggs, it will NOT hurt your slightly later hatching eggs IF they had enough evaporation during the beginning of incubation.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would monitor air cells very carefully, and adjust humidity so they are the correct size. If need be, you can avoid increasing humidity until you hear your first internal pip. I recommend dry incubation, and run my bator at 30 - 40% till lock down. This gives me the lee way to make adjustments based on air cell size. Occasionally, I've had to run completely dry during the last few days to shrink down those air cells.

Agreed, it's ok to go into lock down early. chicks are getting into hatching position on day 14. So, if incubating upright, I remove my eggs from carton on day 14 and lay them flat. I continue hand turning for a few more days, and increase humidity when air cell size or internal pips tell me it's time to do so.

One other thing I'd do: separate the silkie eggs from the brahma eggs if you can figure out how to safely do so without creating opportunity for the hatchlings to get into trouble. That way, the early hatchers won't be dragging their slurry of bacteria laden hatching goo over the later hatchers.

 

[Floppy Pheasant]

I'm keeping my humidity at 33% ...I have a hovabator as well but it's difficult keeping that bator at the right temp,it tends to spike up,not sure how to regulate that one.

 

[Floppy Pheasant]

How high should humidity be during lockdown?? If I have a large breed and bantam breed eggs.Thanks for your all help,much appreciated.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would go around 65%.

 

[lazy gardener]

I would go around 65%.

 

[Floppy Pheasant]

Thank you! I was hoping not to have to go 70-75%... for some reason I think that high of a humidity would drown my chicks.