HELP I need advice on hatching incubated chicks

[dheltzel]

"lockdown" consists of 2 things, 1) stop turning them, and 2) increase humidity. It's a good idea to increase humidity before the first pip, because that's when the first "incubator air" gets into the egg. If it's too dry, it can make it harder f or the chick to free itself.
As far as stopping turning, I have had a lot of chicks hatch on an auto turner that I just left on because the eggs were of unknown age (from under a hen on a communal nest). Still, it's got to be better for the little ones if the last 2 or 3 days they can be still.

I would stop turning each batch on day 18, then increase humidity on day 20 of the first batch and keep it there to the end.

 

[koris]

"lockdown" consists of 2 things, 1) stop turning them, and 2) increase humidity. It's a good idea to increase humidity before the first pip, because that's when the first "incubator air" gets into the egg. If it's too dry, it can make it harder f or the chick to free itself.
As far as stopping turning, I have had a lot of chicks hatch on an auto turner that I just left on because the eggs were of unknown age (from under a hen on a communal nest). Still, it's got to be better for the little ones if the last 2 or 3 days they can be still.

I would stop turning each batch on day 18, then increase humidity on day 20 of the first batch and keep it there to the end.

Okay. Thanks you so much for the advice. I think I will take your advice and run with it! Hopefully it will work out for me. I will post and let ya know if this works out for me! Hopefully next week I will have cute lil chicks in my life.
Thanks again!!!!