Lock down?

[bigdaddyabc]

OK, forgive me, I am REALLY new and I want to try incubating. What the heck is "lock down"? Why do we do it? I read the incubating and hatching first 60 days article, but it never mentions locking anything down. Anyone like to enlighten me please? I really want to learn.

thanks!!

Rob

 

[JestersEye]

Lockdown is when you stop turning the eggs and increase the humidity on Day 18. From then on, you shouldn't open the 'bator because you run the risk of lowering the humidity too much, which can cause the membranes in the pipping and hatching eggs to dry out. That can "shrink wrap" the chicks inside and prevent them from getting out of their shells. That's the stage that people refer to as "lockdown". You're basically locking down the incubator from further human interference.