How to go about lockdown in an incubator where you add water to the inside?

[lavendermarie]

Hey there! I have to lock down my incubator soon and I wanted to know how to go about lockdown. My incubator has a little slot on the inside where you put a sponge for the humidity. This means you have to open the lid to insert it. How do I go about this during lockdown? Do I just quickly open it and grab the sponge, close the lid then open it and put it in again and just hope everything’s fine? I feel like that’s kind of my only option. But I wanted to hear everyone else’s opinions.

Also, side question: I have bantam eggs and normal eggs in the incubator right now. I clearly didn’t think that through well. Should I lock down a few days before the bantam’s hatch date? Is it okay to stop turning the normal ones earlier?

 

[SilverBirds]

What model are you using? Humidity is one of the main factors of poor hatches at lockdown. Too low or too high can cause the chicks to shrink-wrap or down. If you are adding humidity you should be able to quickly swap sponges with no harm done.

I usually put my bantam and standard eggs on lockdown at day 18. The bantams sometimes hatch earlier but not by much.

Best of luck with your hatch!

 

[lavendermarie]

What model are you using? Humidity is one of the main factors of poor hatches at lockdown. Too low or too high can cause the chicks to shrink-wrap or down. If you are adding humidity you should be able to quickly swap sponges with no harm done.

I usually put my bantam and standard eggs on lockdown at day 18. The bantams sometimes hatch earlier but not by much.

Best of luck with your hatch!

This is the one I’m using! https://www.amazon.com/Incubator-Te...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

Thank you for the advice and the info! I’ll do just that.

 

[donna58]

Having same problem guess I will Quickly add water!
Hope your lock down and hatch went well. Mine our due June 2, 2022.

 

[lavendermarie]

Having same problem guess I will Quickly add water!
Hope your lock down and hatch went well. Mine our due June 2, 2022.

So far lock down’s going well! The humidity looks fine and today’s the first estimated hatching date (we have bantams and standards). Mine are due May 31st-June 3rd depending on the egg! I wish you luck too!