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
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