Life or Death Lockdown Question!!!

[LostAcreFarm]

Hey ya'll, quick question here. In my last batch of chicks I set 40 eggs. Of those 40 36 made it to lockdown, of those 36 23 managed to hatch. I can't help but wonder if it is the constant opening of the incubator to retrieve hatched chick's that is diminishing my hatch rate. Have any of you had the same problem? If so how do you stop it?

Thanks,

Lost Acre Farm

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

Are they piping an dieing or dieing before they pip?

 

[chickengrl]

It could be. I try to open it very rarely and I try to not open if I have a pip so as not to dry the egg membrane out. There are so many other factors at play though. Lots of folks on here who might be able to help you more. Good luck!

 

[RedReiner]

dont open the bator... they keep telling me that so I guess its good advice. I dont open mine until they are all done. if there is a pip opening it can cause shrink wrapping. they are fine in there for 48 hours.

 

[Sir Birdaholic]

Constantly opening the incubator will decrease the humidity & can cause chicks to get glued in place by the egg membrane. I open my incubator once a day to retrieve chicks, but the first thing I do after opening the door is mist with warm water to replentish any humidity loss. Hope this helps.

 

[LostAcreFarm]

thanks everyone for the great responses. I guess my only concern with leaving the chicks in the incubator would be that they would kick the eggs arround and tire out the chicks inside them so they wont hatch?

 

[StormyMoon]

being kicked around wont hurt them they will still hatch.

 

[wowmanacat]

A new hatched chick can go up to 48 hours with out food and water since all that is in the yolk that they have absorbed. That is how they can ship day old chicks all over the place.

 

[debilorrah]

Actually, the chicks kicking the eggs around tends to encourage them to hatch more, not less. If you are opening the bator when there are pips, then that is your problem. However, if there are no pips, I open my bator to get the ones out that hatched first in the name of making room.

 

[LostAcreFarm]

Ok I think I get it know open the bator' when all chicks are hatched, dont open the bator' if their are pips. See no one ever told me bfore this that I couldnt do that...but now I know! thanks guys!