I am confused...

[Stevenson]

I set my eggs on March 2nd at 7:00 am. Is the 22nd or 23rd my hatch day? Do I lock down tomorrow or Sunday?
Do hens have these same questions?

 

[nivtup]

I would do the "lockdown" thing Saturday.

Incubating is not always a strict procedure. More like keeping things within the lines, guiding conditions to a positive outcome. If things are relatively close, you will have chicks. We have had chicks hatch in the turners more than once, never raised humidity, etc..

Depending on temps / breed you might see chicks Mon, Tues, Wed




Good luck

 

[Stevenson]

Quote:
Thanks!

Temps have been steady between 98.7 and 100.4 degrees. Humidity levels were around 38% for the first 5 days, raised it to 47% after that. The eggs are mixed breed, although there is apparently a good chance that two are pure silver phoenix.

This is my test run to make sure I know what I am doing - I have 42 eggs coming the first week of April (Delaware, Speckled Sussex, and Dominique).

 

[Gypsy07]

The 23rd should be your hatch day. Eggs should hatch on the same day of the week as you set them. That's an easy way to remember what your hatch day should be! Locking down early on Sunday would then give you 72 hours of lockdown. But if you wanted to go into lockdown on Saturday that would be okay too. An extra day wouldn't do any harm...

 

[Stevenson]

Thanks....

Two answers....two different responses. This is why I have been struggling with which day is my hatch day...I can see how both could be right. I realize that they'll hatch when they hatch, so it doesn't really matter.

Can anyone else give their opinion?

 

[gryeyes]

21 days is the AVERAGE length of incubation. Average means some hatch before then, some hatch after the 21st day. The majority of chicken eggs hatch on the 21st day.

The day of the week you set the eggs is the same day of the week they might very well hatch if they follow the average. The day you set them is NOT Day 1 - the next day is, as it is the first full day the eggs have incubated. On day 18, you stop turning them, raise humidity and go into incubator lockdown, which - on average - lasts for Days 19, 20, and 21.

It's not a precise thing. Eggs may hatch as late as Day 25!