Lockdown confusion! Help!

[Trinitydraco]

So this is my first time hatching eggs and I thought I understood what lockdown meant but now I am really confused and it's kinda important because I am in lockdown! So I am seeing all these posts about internal pips and candling air sacks and it's all after day 18. Soooo I thought lockdown meant, no touchy the bator! I was told that if I open it even for a second the humidity will drop and I can kill my chicks! So if you can't open the incubator how do you candle an egg?! I am so confused! Am I supposed to be checking my eggs?! Am I neglecting them? How do I check them without hurting them?! Please let me know if I need to be doing something with my eggs! We are almost 24 hours into lockdown and if I am neglecting them I need to know! Thanks

 

[EggSighted4Life]

No, you don't need to candle your eggs.

Lock down is GOOD ideal. Yes you can shrink wrap your chicks by opening the lid... or you may not. It's a personal risk some choose to take. I don't... unless someone has pipped and zipped and clearly needs help.

You will learn what you are comfortable with. Everyone has their their preferred way and reason.

Day 18-19, I make sure my humidity is right so I don't have to worry about it before day 22.

Some people remove chicks as they hatch cause they don't like the soccer being played in there... Not me. It is what it is.

Long story short... do what makes sense to you. There is NO right way. Some ways are riskier than others.

 

[Trinitydraco]

Oh thank god! I was starting to think I had not understood something. I think for me I am going to just leave it alone. My humidity is steady at 70% and I saw movement in everybody yesterday so I will just not risk anything "fancy" on my first hatch because I don't have the experience to judge what I would call an acceptable risk. Thanks for letting me know. I just wanted to make sure I was doing this by the book and as I saw so many giving updates about internal pips and water candling and taping on eggs I was beginning to think there was some big thing I was missing that could hurt my chicks. I WANT to be the kind of hatcher that lets nature take it's course but I also know that incubators are far from natural so I want to give my little ones the best chance I can. It feels like a tough balance to strike. Now that I know there is nothing urgent that I need to do for them I will just bide my time and hope for a good hatch.

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Keep us posted! Praying you have a good hatch!

 

[WildAtHart]

Here too- pipper last night...can't sleep for worries about the little thing...First Cream Legbar baby!!! 2:23 AM CST

 

[orangesplash]

Here too- pipper last night...can't sleep for worries about the little thing...First Cream Legbar baby!!! 2:23 AM CST

aww!!! we have all been here. I still remember the first time our chicks were being born, there was no end to our excitement!

So, for beginners and i am a few months now being a beginner, my story is as follows:-

1-humidity needs to be 35-45% for the first 18 days.
2-candling needs to be done on the 5-7th day
humidity will be taken up to 65-70% on the 18th day when you stop the turning.
3-at the most you can candle the eggs on the 17th day!

happy surprises to you and good luck. keep us posted.