Locked-Down 10 Days Early - How Did They Do It?

[Jetblack2004]

Hey BYC!

I set some eggs in the incubator a few weeks back and (stupid me) forgot to write the date on the calendar. WELL, I decided the most likely day was Saturday 7th and locked down on Wednesday 4th. Nothing pipped at all on Sat and I figured I'd got the wrong day. Left them and hoped for the best (still kept humidity high). Earlier today was thinking okay, guess I'd better toss them, went and had a look and there were loads of pips! I now have 12 chirping, healthy chicks and lots on the way.

Can anybody tell me how they did it? A week of 65% humidity and no turning. I can't believe it all!

 

[R2elk]

Hey BYC!

I set some eggs in the incubator a few weeks back and (stupid me) forgot to write the date on the calendar. WELL, I decided the most likely day was Saturday 7th and locked down on Wednesday 4th. Nothing pipped at all on Sat and I figured I'd got the wrong day. Left them and hoped for the best (still kept humidity high). Earlier today was thinking okay, guess I'd better toss them, went and had a look and there were loads of pips! I now have 12 chirping, healthy chicks and lots on the way.

Can anybody tell me how they did it? A week of 65% humidity and no turning. I can't believe it all!

The later in the incubation cycle, the less important it is to turn the eggs. Not turning the eggs during the first ten days will cause far more problems than not turning them during the last ten days. Sixty five percent humidity is not extremely high humidity and the air cells must have been well along to proper size before you increased the humidity.

In the future, candle your eggs before putting them in lock down. If the eggs are not internally pipped there is no need to rush them to lockdown. I knew one woman who did not put any of her eggs into lockdown until they were internally pipped.