Lock Down..Not for everyone?

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Well here is what I did...I took 3 and looked for sign of movement. Pipped the air end and found all three made it to full development. I had air cells that well almost 20 t0 30 % . All three dead. No evidence of internal pipping.. I did notice that there was 2 membranes, the white membrane was dry looking and the second membrane was sticky. I end up helping this last one out also. That's three I helped by adding water to the membrane once I could see the beak. All three pulled away from the umbilical cord real easy. Like they were done 24 hrs ago. So my belief in lock down..Just went out the window...LOCK DOWN IS NOT FOR THE BIRDS.. Sometime you gotta get in there and assist. Get your hands dirty..
See this very hard for any squeamish newbie.
I mean..All animal..in the husbandry..occasional need some assistance.
Just my experience...




.https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/782631/external-pipping/10#post_11223818

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Only one Cuckoo Marans

5 Welsummer Bantams...

 

[LTygress]

I have almost never "locked down" my incubator. I check to make sure the egg isn't blocked by something when hatching. I've had one die because his egg was wedged between other eggs and the sides of the incubator, and he couldn't push out because there was no room. I also check for external pips by turning the eggs around, since those little windows can keep you from seeing A LOT. I check for external pips where the membrane has dried out and discolored. I check for smelly eggs. And as each chick hatches and his belly hardens up a little, I remove him (and his egg) so he doesn't keep stumbling on the other eggs and turning them upside down and getting them wedged... and I leave the other eggs to finish hatching in peace.

The last reason is the MAIN reason I do not "lock down" my incubators. The reason we stop TURNING eggs in the last three days, is for the chick to get into position to hatch. But if the newly hatched chicks are causing the other eggs to flip and turn, it could cause the unhatched chicks to pip on the wrong end and die. So I am CONSTANTLY putting my hands all in the incubator during hatch time, and it hasn't affected my hatch rate at all.

Actually, I have NEVER had one pip on the wrong end, unless I left the hatched chicks in there too long and the unhatched eggs were tossed around.

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

This exactly what I do too. I do place my eggs On day 18. Jack humidity to 70 plus..Then i place then in the 5 doz egg flat..Cut them down to fit, once one starts pipping i place it on the bottom of the incubator.I separate them to keep from rolling around and i mark the top on day 18 . So if some gest rolled around I turn it back up. I am thinking of wetting these egg flats next time for more moister ....

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Bumped..

 

[Alaska Fowl INC]

Bumped..

Still?