lockdown? I havent yet...i cheat!

[Spongegirl]

all the time! It seems to me that lockdown and its rules are for big cabinet type incubators. When I open and shut, in the little giant, the humidity doesn't change enough in that short of time to affect the developing eggs. When the top closes the water is still evaporating, the water temp hasn't gone down in just a few seconds and then continues with very little space to fill. "Shrink wrap" is not an instant thing where if you open the box, it sucks them dry. That kind of instant action happens with pressure. Shrink wrap is the chick just didn't get out and you see the membrane laying on them too dried because now there is no blood circulating. When they hatch, it's pretty much dried up in there as it should be. In my little giant, I have had continual hatches where the timings for the lockdown are staggered. Humidity rising and falling doesn't affect the development if it is only for a short period of time in these little cooler desk top incubators in a dry environment. Whats most important is the air cells growth. I do crank the humidity up when its hatch day for a clutch...but the rest of the time there is very little water in a full egg incubator, and my hatch rates are good.

People OCD ing on the eggs all the time will mess them up though and maybe lockdown is about a 'hands off time" time. When chicks start to hatch they roll those eggs all over the place so why is that whole self turning thing written? I had a lockdown egg in with my others, by mistake, on a staggered hatch, rolling it around and it hatched.

What am I missing? Trying to learn new things here. This is just what I observe in a few months so its not like Im comparing in years. I really wish for a newbie thread where beginners can bounce off each other. Sometimes I think people don't like to talk chicken unless there is like 14,000 posts already for one thread, or a problem. How bout just a conversation? Someone, anyone, criticize or agree. if you take the time to read this, post something...I'll add to your reputation (btw, we don't use that new feature enough around here). Thumbs up people more often, it increases popularity and trust

 

[blucoondawg]

I agree on the low humidity incubation that is what I do too with a foam bator, the humidity simply evaporates from within the egg with no water added. Sometimes i get even higher than i want that way. I did add water at day 18 and tried not to open it but had to cuz a chick got its foot stuck to my sticky back hygrometer, I don't know if it hurt anything or not I think not.

 

[HickoryHollow]

all the time! It seems to me that lockdown and its rules are for big cabinet type incubators. When I open and shut, in the little giant, the humidity doesn't change enough in that short of time to affect the developing eggs. When the top closes the water is still evaporating, the water temp hasn't gone down in just a few seconds and then continues with very little space to fill. "Shrink wrap" is not an instant thing where if you open the box, it sucks them dry. That kind of instant action happens with pressure. Shrink wrap is the chick just didn't get out and you see the membrane laying on them too dried because now there is no blood circulating. When they hatch, it's pretty much dried up in there as it should be. In my little giant, I have had continual hatches where the timings for the lockdown are staggered. Humidity rising and falling doesn't affect the development if it is only for a short period of time in these little cooler desk top incubators in a dry environment. Whats most important is the air cells growth. I do crank the humidity up when its hatch day for a clutch...but the rest of the time there is very little water in a full egg incubator, and my hatch rates are good.

People OCD ing on the eggs all the time will mess them up though and maybe lockdown is about a 'hands off time" time. When chicks start to hatch they roll those eggs all over the place so why is that whole self turning thing written? I had a lockdown egg in with my others, by mistake, on a staggered hatch, rolling it around and it hatched.

What am I missing? Trying to learn new things here. This is just what I observe in a few months so its not like Im comparing in years. I really wish for a newbie thread where beginners can bounce off each other. Sometimes I think people don't like to talk chicken unless there is like 14,000 posts already for one thread, or a problem. How bout just a conversation? Someone, anyone, criticize or agree. if you take the time to read this, post something...I'll add to your reputation (btw, we don't use that new feature enough around here). Thumbs up people more often, it increases popularity and trust

I think you make a good point here, and as a newbie I can't really say I have any reason to question anything you said. But here is what I think causes the "stead-fast" rules we all here of. My first hatch was an attempt at 26 golden buff eggs. They were from my own hens, so no shipping issues. Only 3 hatched. Now I am in here reading everything I can possibly get my hands on trying to figure out where I went wrong. I eggtopsied and found 18 peeps fully developed but that died before they even internally pipped. Once you have experienced that big of a loss, you get gun shy. You feel like no matter what you do, if it isn't EXACTLY PERFECT you will be killing all your eggs. I am on day 21 of my second attempt. No pips yet.........OMG.......

 

[Joplus]

Yes. We definitely need a newbie thread. I'm day 17 of my first hatch. Things keep changing and I'm trying not to stress. The humidity was up at 40% with none of the wells filled for a few days around 12-14 days. Then dropped to 25% so I filled 2 wells then it went to 45% and now its at only 35% tonight with the two wells filled so are my eggs no longer putting off moisture? Why? Are some of my eggs possibly dead? They looked great when I checked them on day 12. But its hard to see the BCMs. My heat creeped up too but now its stable around 101. (Still air). About opening the lid in lockdown, the lady I bought my buff orphington from said she staggers and takes chicks out when needed with no issues. I will resist but step in if I have to I guess. About hatching in the egg carton, I'm so on the fence and cannot decide. I have one day to figure it out.

 

[blumoonky40906]

I lost two dozen of the six dozen I set the same way. Fully developed, just died in the shell before trying to pip. Paid lots of cash for Jubilee hatching eggs and two of those did it. Not sure what's happening there. Seems like if 4 dozen could get of the shell the rest of them should have been able to. Any ideas? Suggestions? This is my first season with a cabinet incubator. Makes things a lot easier.

 

[Joplus]

Could you see them moving before lockdown? I can see my babies moving in there so I can't possibly see how they could fail to come out of the shell but I will be devastated if that happens. I read too high humidity day 1-18 results in large chicks that can't get out or something along those lines. And that too little is better than too much so my humidity is on the low end. Where was the humidity at days 1-18?

 

[blucoondawg]

You guys who have been having so many developed chicks die in the shell, what humidity did you incubate for the first 18 days? I ask because from what I've read if the humidity is overly high the chicks will somehow grow too large to move in the egg and cannot get out. That is why I prefer a dry hatch. 35% is the high end of my humidity I try to keep it mid 20s as much as possible

 

[duck mom newbie]

Brand New to hatching! I have 2 bators w staggered dates, duck eggs, some from my flock and 20 mail order. I have only had ducks for 2 months, so VERY NEW to being a bird mom. I have one auto turner and one I'm manually turning, I have lots of movement when I candle, but time will tell. We will see when lock down happens, I am pretty hands on.
And thanks for letting me share, I don't really know what I'm doing yet, but I'll post results!

 

[HickoryHollow]

You guys who have been having so many developed chicks die in the shell, what humidity did you incubate for the first 18 days? I ask because from what I've read if the humidity is overly high the chicks will somehow grow too large to move in the egg and cannot get out. That is why I prefer a dry hatch. 35% is the high end of my humidity I try to keep it mid 20s as much as possible

I have read the same thing Bludog.....and I believe that is EXACTLY what happened to me. The batch I have ready to pip I completely did dry up to lockdown. They spent their first 18 days in a Farm Innovators Styrofoam incubator. At lockdown I moved them to the new cabinet incubator I built. Mainly because the temp holds much more steady, and it is easier to watch them at hatch time. The humidity in the cabinet incubator is running at about 60%. Today is day 21, and I checked them before leaving for work. Still no pips. I hope I have 22 healthy fluffy butts when I get home tonight. lol....we will see..........................

 

[Spongegirl]

I have been reading a ton of 411 on here on everyone's experiences and then compared to my own and drawn many conclusions: First thing, I had to forget trying to duplicate someone else's successful hatch...only use their experience for reference. What works for one will not work for another because there are too many variables. Environment is everything-From healthy hens to living conditions of the parent flock, genetics, the air surrounding the incubator, how ocd one gets with the whole process. Another thing...the more you worry about it and hover, the lower your hatch rate.

Reading some of these article I was afraid to drown a chick but what ended up happening is they all dried up. It was winter, the air is dryer. In say, Washington the environment is way wetter than Kentucky and the desert. Had a ugly started flock of weak genetics...out of 40 eggs I had 4 but a ton of experience for now when I successfully hatch shipped eggs of gorgeous strong stock that develops appropriately. It's all about genetics, environment, and no worring about that much specifics remaining constant Nature is not constant and the broody hen can leave the nest for a little while and those eggs are just fine. It rains and it drouts outside and chicks still hatch.

It just takes a while to figure out better ways. See, I read to put the eggs upright. I did that at first. Well that's good for the cabinet incubators on a big scale but not the little ones. I dont bother with marking x and o so i know a half turn. Turning them sometimes doesnt have to be on the dot of the clock. Some folks schedule their life on the time turning. Now I lay the eggs flat, give em a roll with the palm of my hand a couple times or a few times a day, never lifting them except an occasional candle. Keep half ish humidity give or take a little one way or another. I think at first we get to anxious for the process and just overthink it and try way to hard.

I also don't want to imply I don't raise the humidity the last few days, because I do and its necessary for them membranes...but I've also waited to day 20 to raise it as well...just judging the air cells.