Husband question incubator

[McCord6]

No, this isn't Venieca, this is her husband, Jason. She is currently in the hospital with pregnancy complications and Im at home tending the kids and the chicks. I have NO idea what to do with the incubator. She told me already that It's lockdown, what the heck does that mean? She told me to keep an eye on the temp and humidity level but NO SHE didn't tell me what to do if it drops or rises too high or even what temp or humidity it's supposed to be at. Okay, maybe she did but I haven't been paying much attention. HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't want to screw up her hard work!!

 

[saddina]

She means, DO NOT FOR ANY REASON OPEN IT. (Personally I have that on a sign on mine during lockdown). What it means is that the chicks are comming (sort of the egg version of labor). If the lid id opened durning this time the chicks can dry out in the shell, not be able to crack it open and die. So no touchie, look at it when you walk past for a minute to see of you see anything moving, but no opening. Once a chick hatches out, write the time, and 12-24 hours AFTER you can open it (quickly!) pull out any babies, then shut the lid back down so the rest of the eggs can finish hatching.

Did she leave you a place to brood them (like a box with a light) or will you need directions for that? What about chick food?

 

[McCord6]

I have everything for the Broading thingy. She made sure of it a week ago. Seems like everything she talked about relating the eggs and the chicks are a foreign language to me.
She said something about it being okay to allow the chick to stay in the incubator for up to 3 days, until as many as possible hatches. Is that correct? Did I get that twisted?
What is the bowls of water with my shop rag (wife took a bunch of my brand new shop rags out of my mechanic show, cleaned them up and used them for the incubator) crampled up in them, for?

I really should have paid more attention to what she been talking about. Every time she finds something new, she tells me but I pay little to no attention. Now Im paying for it!

 

[JestersEye]

Shouldn't he also use a spray bottle to mist the eggs when he has to open the lid to remove hatched chicks? That way the humidity won't get too low and cause the rest of the eggs to dry out.

I haven't actually gotten that far yet, but that's what I think should be done. I hope that helps a bit... and I hope the "pregnancy complications" are only minor inconveniences. Good luck with everything!

 

[Billy7871]

During LOCKDOWN!! temp should remain the same but humidity should be high between 65 and 75 is good. If it drops add more water. I am sure she has a tray in there with a sponge for that. Don't take the sponge out just add water. If the humidity gets too high it will fog the glass and don't add really hot water it makes the glass fog up. Got in lots of trouble for trying to help out on that one

There are lots of people on here that will provide you with any answers you need. Lots of smarties on here. Not me what I told you is all I know for sure. The post before me is right NEVER open the bator... Good luck with your baby

and the chickens

Hope your wife is ok. Let us know

ETA: If you just open the bator for a second to get out a chicken then you are okay the temp and humidity will come right back in just a few minutes. The rag is probably her equivalent to my sponge. No need to mist the eggs. YES they can stay in there for 3 days. Perfectly fine and the hatched ones act like little cheerleaders for the newbies trying to hatch.

 

[shelleyd2008]

No, you shouldn't mist eggs unless they are waterfowl. The chicks can stay in the incubator for up to 3 days, they should be done hatching by then if they were all set at the same time.

Temp should be about 100, humidity somewhere over 50%. The bowls with your shop towels in them are to keep the humidity up. It is okay for the humidity to go higher, but you don't want it to go lower. If it does, you need to add more water, as quickly as possible, to the bowls with the towels in them. The temp can go from 97-102 with no problems, anything higher or lower and you need to adjust it.
What kind of incubator is it? That makes a difference

Hope all is well with your baby!

ETA: Make sure if you need to add water, that the water is warm. Too hot will cause the temperature to rise, too cold will take too long to warm up. Warm water will evaporate much more quickly and kind of negate any damage 'possibly' caused from opening it.

 

[McCord6]

Okay
Don't open incubator at all
If humidity goes below 65, add water to bowls
(((Scratch off the misty water issue))


Her blood pressure keeps going like a roller coaster which is getting the doctors all nervous. If she can keep her pressure under control, she should be released in a few days. Just minor precautions.

Okay, i think I got it...Thank god she had this website in her "chicken" folder in her favorite listing. I would have gone CRAZY not knowing. BIG HELP peeps.

 

[Billy7871]

They can stay in the bator for 3 days because they absorbed the yolk just before they hatched and really don't need any food or water for that long because they are full.

 

[NancyP]

Hi Jason, Lock down means the last 3 days before the chicks are due to hatch. At this time the humidity should be raised.(ask your wife what percent she wants) and the eggs are no longer turned. Take a breath and calm down. The chicks will be fine till you can ask your wife for details. Good luck with your babies.(all of them LOL)
Nancy

 

[Billy7871]

NOOOO Don't spray. Everything else correct. Don't let it get to you or your blood pressure will explode too.