Lockdown Protocol? Should I candle first?

[megnchicks]

OK, so I know today my bator needs to go on lockdown. WOW, I can’t believe it has been 18 days already, it really has been fun. I have an automatic turner and an LG still air incubator. Do I pull both of the red plugs out? Do I add water to the bottom? The thermometer only shows the temp in the bator but doesn’t mention anything about humidity.

If I understand correctly when a chick hatches you leave it in the bator until it dries and fluff up and then you move it to a container with a heating light, food, and water. This is my first (and sad to say) last hatch and so far I have had awesome results and would hate to lose any baby chicks this far into it.

Also, I candled the eggs on day 13ish but I only got half way through the eggs because the temp was going down from opening and shutting the lid to take and put back in the eggs. So far no smell is coming from the bator, so should I just assume they are ok, or should I attempt to candle the last half before locking down the baor?

You all have been great and I hope to stick around the boards for a while even though I won’t have any chickens. I know one day I will have my coop up and running.

 

[galanie]

Knowing that a hen gets off the nest for a few minutes every day, I figure that taking a whole tray out at once and candling them all works pretty well. You dont' have the incubator open as long so it holds better, and the eggs aren't out long enough to damage them.

Most people do candle just before lockdown. It just makes sense to get out those that are obviously not going to hatch at that point. You don't have to, but like I said, it makes sense.

Try to leave the chicks in there till they're all hatched. They can go like 3 days w/out food and water though I'd hate to leave them in there longer than a day or two. You can remove them as soon as they are fluffed out but it's much better to leave them till they're hatched so you don't mess up the conditions inside the incubator. It is more important then than at any other time in the whole process to leave it all alone. You don't want a sudden drop in temp or humidity that will cause the rest to die and not hatch! Many people successfully open and remove at this point but usually for good reason. It's not recommended normally.

 

[megnchicks]

OK, so I just hid in a closet and candled the tray of eggs. It took me about 30 min to do all of them (I hope that wasn't too long being out of the incubator). I started with 41 total and now there are 35 at lockdown. There are two questionable ones, but I rather be safe and just see if they hatch.

Hope everything works out.

Megan