Opening the bator after day 18.....

[Ruditchka]

I have 2 hatch dates 8 days apart in my incubator. After day 18, I still have to open it to turn the later put in eggs a few times a day. It seems that everyone says this is an absolute no-no, but doesn't a hen have to get up and do her business the last three days also before "she" explodes?! I don't see the harm in opening the bator for the short time it takes to do this and will do so. Think of the eggshell as a styrofoam cup, and the egg contents as a cup of hot coffee inside....., in the short time it takes for the temp/humidity to restore itself, did your coffee get any colder? I don't think it matters much, the internal temp holds much longer than the air temp surrounding the eggs! Just my thought and I have to do it! We'll see on the 9th and 17th how my hatch goes!!!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

It doesn't have to do with temperature, it has to do with humidity. Opening the bator lets an incredible amount of dry air in basically "sucking" the humidity out of the egg. This causes "shrink wrapping" of the inner membrane around the chick, thus resulting in suffocation.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote:

 

[Ruditchka]

But doesn't the hen leave her eggs to eat and do her business on the last three days? She'd be losing the same amount that she would during the first 18 days of incubation(when she leaves the eggs), which everyone says is alright because the hen leaves her eggs a couple of times a day for between 5 and 20 minutes! I don't see the difference. Please explain. Thanx!

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Quote:
I just did.

 

[ranchhand]

I might be wrong here, and there are exceptions, but it is my understanding that the hen does not leave the nest the last three days. Hence the not opening the incubator after Day 18.

Most people doing staggered hatches have another incubator to use as a "hatcher". On Day 18, the eggs are moved there.

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Quote: