Idiot question: What is "lockdown?"

[awesomefowl]

as in incubating. thanks!

 

[mrslb333]

When the eggs are 3 days from hatching you put them into lockdown which basically means upping the humidity, stop turning and leave the incubator closed until the babies have arrived.
The reason for doing this is to allow the chicks to get into position for hatching and to allow the humidity to build up to prevent shrink wrapping which will essentially suffocate the hatching chick.
Hope that helps

 

[BayouPoules]

and,.. there are no idiot questions on BYC when you are really trying to learn,.. though I have seen some really strange ones!

 

[awesomefowl]

sorry, I double posted. I sure hope I didn't "shrink wrap" my babies! I did open the incubator once.