Lockdown question

[GoneQuackers]

This is my first time incubating eggs. I have 13 duck eggs in my homemade bator. One mistake I see that I've made is that I didn't leave a way to fill my water dishes without having to open the lid.

What I'd like to know is, when I go into lockdown, is it okay to open the lid just long enough to add water? This can be done within a matter of seconds. My temp barely drops when I open to turn the eggs, but humidity drops a good bit.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Ridgerunner]

I made this out of those straws with the accordian joints. By going in through a vent opening, I can add water to the reservoirs with a syringe I got from Tractor Supply



I don't know if you have any vents you can use, but maybe?

 

[jimlas]

I did the same thing with my homemade incubator so no way to add water without opening up the top. I am just not sure if the mother chicken/duck/goose sit still without moving for three days when their eggs are ready to hatch so not sure why it would hurt to quickly add water at the end??
I would like all the info out there as I am going into the lock down stage myself for the first time with 5 runner duck eggs )

 

[GoneQuackers]

Great idea Ridgerunner! I'm going to rig up something like that. I have the straws and an old medicine syringe. I'll just have to move my dishes closer to the vent holes.

I'm thinking like you are jimlas, wondering if the hen actually stays put the last 3 days. I'd still like to know if it's ok to open the lid very briefly and only when necessary.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Just because something can happen does not mean it will each and every time. If you violate one of the recommendations and nothing bad happens does not mean it will never happen to anyone anywhere on the face of the earth and that the recommendation is hogwash.

If you open the incubator, the heat is not a problem at all unless you do something ridiculous. The core temperature of the eggs takes a long time to drop. Heat loss is not the issue.

If you reduce the humidity, you can shrink-wrap the baby in the egg, especially if it has pipped. It happens. I've done it. But you do not necessarily shrink-wrap all or even any duckling, chick, poult, whatever. If I need to open the incubator during lockdown, I realize I can possibly shrink-wrap one or more. I weigh the possibility that it could happen and decide if it is worth taking the risk. Sometimes it is and sometimes it's not. If none have pipped, the risk is really low.

I can't make that decision for you. We all have different priorities, different incubators, and different conditions. Some people take the incubator into the bathroom, shut the door, and steam it up to get high humidity when they open it. Some just open it and don't worry about it. Some mist the eggs ith warm water. Any of these can have problems or have no problems, though the higher the background humidity and the less moisture you lose, the better.

There are risks any way you go. Is the risk worth it to you?

 

[Avonshire]

I think using the straw idea is a great work around for you! I know one of my vent holes is above one of the water channels in my bator so I can just pour water in. You might try using a funnel if you don't have a syringe. Or at least I used a funnel and it worked!

eta: That being said I did open my bator on my first disastrous hatch and just added wet paper towels when I opened it. Now I had a pretty bad hatch with a chick that was shrink wrapped in its shell soooooo it might not have worked! But who knows if it was when I opened it or something that happened during incubation.

 

[GoneQuackers]

I'm going with the straws through a vent hole. I've put a lot of time into this and don't want to take any chances.

I truly appreciate the help!