Lockdown timing.

[Mustang Sally]

Hello I have a batch of chicken eggs that I'm incubating that are about to go on lockdown. I've got 35 in total right now but 27 of them were started incubating 2 days before the other 8. I was going to seperate them and keep turning the 8 for two more days but my second incubator (a LG with no circulating fan) can't seem to get above 99.3° so I'm wondering if it would be better to just stop turning the 8 early and leave them all together or should I try putting them in to be turned for two more days and then hatch in the 99.3° incubator? Would that much of a temp difference hurt them?

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I would take out the turner and turn them manually. Some people have these things to separate eggs in cases like this. They stay in the same incubator, but there is something separating them like a small cage. Perhaps you can set something up in the incubator that'll separate the younger from the older if you want them separated.

 

[Mustang Sally]

I would take out the turner and turn them manually. Some people have these things to separate eggs in cases like this. They stay in the same incubator, but there is something separating them like a small cage. Perhaps you can set something up in the incubator that'll separate the younger from the older if you want them separated.

Will it harm the older ones to open the lid and turn the younger ones for a few days? This is only my second year hatching and last year I had two working incubators so I just seperated the various batches when it was time to lockdown...

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

Will it harm the older ones to open the lid and turn the younger ones for a few days? This is only my second year hatching and last year I had two working incubators so I just seperated the various batches when it was time to lockdown...

I think it would be okay as long as you don't have the lid open for too long. You don't want any of the temperature or humidity exiting. So, just open the lid just enough to turn the eggs and without burning yourself on the elements. Then close the lid quickly. It could help if you are watching the temperature and the humidity so if you see it starting to change too much while you are turning; you could quickly get your hands out and reclose the lid until the temperature and the humidity is normal and try it again. You could probably do that several times. Just make certain that you are quick, gentle, carful, and that your hands are washed first.
Does any of that help?

 

[Mustang Sally]

I think it would be okay as long as you don't have the lid open for too long. You don't want any of the temperature or humidity exiting. So, just open the lid just enough to turn the eggs and without burning yourself on the elements. Then close the lid quickly. It could help if you are watching the temperature and the humidity so if you see it starting to change too much while you are turning; you could quickly get your hands out and reclose the lid until the temperature and the humidity is normal and try it again. You could probably do that several times. Just make certain that you are quick, gentle, carful, and that your hands are washed first.
Does any of that help?

Yes thank you!