lock down 2 days early

[JLaw]

So some how I got my days mixed up using a calendar. Day one was the 2nd. but some how I got day 18 at the 17th when it should be the 19th. Any idea how much this will affect my hatch rate if at all? I just opened it up and moved them alittle in the cartons I have in there since egg turner is out. But my humidity has been like 60's for since yesterday should I lower it some or do you think they wont drown?

thanks
josh

 

[BantamLover21]

It shouldn't affect them too much. Although most people stop turning at day 18 for chicken eggs, you can actually stop turning (at least that I've heard) anytime after day 14-15.

 

[Ridgerunner]

First, don’t worry about the turning. They really don’t need to be turned after 14 days. It doesn’t hurt but it’s not required. No harm was done by them not being turned.

The humidity is a little harder. The reason you manage the humidity is that the egg needs to lose a certain amount of moisture through the porous shell during incubation. If the egg loses too much, you can shrink-wrap the chick before lockdown. If you don’t lose enough, you get what is called sticky chick. That’s where the chick is too wet, big, and soft to position itself for hatch or the air cell does not shrink enough to hold enough air for it to learn to breathe in an air atmosphere instead of a liquid world. That’s when they “drown”.

The good news is that there is a pretty wide range of humidity that works. You don’t have to be dead on a very precise number. Part of that is because no two eggs are identical. Even if laid by the same hen, each egg will be put together a little differently so different humidities may be ideal for each egg. Part of that is how long and how they are stored before you start incubation. Nature took care of that by making a range of humidity that will work. Also, it is not an instantaneous humidity. It’s an average over the incubation.

I can’t tell you how much difference raising the humidity a couple of days early will make in your hatch. It may make absolutely no difference at all. It may cost you a few chicks. There are just too many variables. I’d still expect some to hatch, but I don’t know enough about your entire incubation period to even be able to make a good guess.

Good luck with it. Many of us have decent hatches even when we mess up. Those eggs can be pretty tough.

 

[AmericanMom]

It shouldn't affect them too much. Although most people stop turning at day 18 for chicken eggs, you can actually stop turning (at least that I've heard) anytime after day 14-15.

So here is maybe a dumb question, if they don't have to be turned after 14-15 days incubation would it be ok to take them out of the turner at this point and lay them down? I'm not having any issues but after reading on here like its a novel that I cant put down worry about them pipping early ( I did have temp and humidity issues last week )

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yes it would be fine to lay them flat after 14 days.

 

[AmericanMom]

Yes it would be fine to lay them flat after 14 days.

I candled them and over half the shells you cannot see into

, some look like they either quit or are several days behind (even tho I put them all in at the same time), I will check again before lockdown, if they have not progressed I will remove them..

I did remove the turner

 

[JLaw]

Today is day 21 i have 33 of 39 eggs hatched. I lost one due to opening bator so much/turned some i think. Shell was stuck to it when i went to help but was already dead after zipping 3/4 around. I just cant see not opening to take the dang mountain goats out so otheres aint burried in shell. I use cartons to hold upright. So already hard to get out without others ontop of the eggs sleeping.