Lockdown today w/ staggered hatch - any last minute advice?

[vetgirl00us]

I'm still having to turn my newer eggs at least twice daily- they were put in on the 1st. The older eggs are due to hatch on the 7th. Any advice for last minute humidity/ temp stuff?

 

[wegotchickens]

Stop turning and prep the bator for the hatch (humidity especially).

I'm in TN, but Mom is near Rome (Armuchee Valley).

 

[vetgirl00us]

I've read so much mixed info about humidity. Right now it's about 55%. I don't want drowned or shrinkwrapped chicks but there is sooo much conflicting info.

 

[vetgirl00us]

should i not turn my new eggs at all for a few days? I know not to turn my old eggs.

 

[wegotchickens]

I don't turn mine when a batch is close to hatching. I hate letting all the heat & humidity out.

Humidity varies according to where you are and the ambient humidity, as well as whether your hydrometer is totally accurate.
If the chicks pip and the membrane around the pip gets really white then I up the humidity. But if they seem to pip & zip okay I leave them alone.

 

[vetgirl00us]

thanks so much for the info. Is it just me asking dumb questions or I just don't get alot of replies around here? I have read studies about turning eggs and I was kinda lieaning toward it wouldn't cause much harm to not turn after tonight. I appreciate it!

 

[wegotchickens]

I don't think they are dumb questions. Its just that a lot of questions are subjective and people get scared to answer them lest someone else call them stupid for it.

Like the whole 'lockdown' debate. Some people say DO NOT OPEN the bator. Some people say they do and have no problem on their hatch. Personally, I try not to.

Some people say the turning it really critical for the first 10 days of incubation.
Some people say staggered hatches aren't good for the later eggs. (I tend to agree, since often a messy chick wallows all over the other eggs leaving goo behind. Bound to be bacteria in all that goo. But I still do staggered hatches, knowing that there may be a potential issue with % hatching.)

 

[vetgirl00us]

Yay! Thanks. I got carried away with all these eggs and some arrived later and some I just bought later. I will just not turn as much and try to make do with what I get.

hopefully I'll be at least a tad bit lucky.

 

[wegotchickens]

Yup, that's how I ended up having to do staggered hatches as well. Also, it made it easier to pretend they 'just weren't done hatching yet' rather than admit to my family that I was adding more almost as fast as they were hatching

 

[I'mACountryGirl]

Quote:
That's EXACTLY how I ended up with 3 (count them, 3!!!) incubators sitting on my side counter!!!

I say, do what you can to get ready, say a prayer (I've already said one for your little fuzzy butts) and then sit back, watch the show and stop worrying...the rest is out of your hands. This is supposed to be fun but you have to remember that loss is part of doing this no matter how many bators or broodies you have...Relax now and enjoy your hatch - I really believe you're going to have a good hatch(es)!!