Peeping before lock down

[sadfacethehen]

What is lock down?

 

[PirateGirl]

Have you seen a little beak yet??

 

[ChickenCanoe]

What is lock down?

Lockdown is an imaginary thing primarily for small table top incubators.
Supposedly, exactly at 18 days, one is supposed to increase humidity, stop turning and never open the incubator again till all birds are out. Hence 'lockdown'. It assumes that some eggs may hatch in under 21 days so the humidity needs to be increased before pipping takes place.
Transferring eggs to the hatcher, i.e. 'lockdown' can take place between day 15 and day 19. 18-19 is optimal.
Opening most incubators during pipping/hatching will immediately reduce humidity which causes inner membranes to shrink, dry out and wrap the chick to the point it can't move or break free.
It's not a bad concept. However, if pipping hasn't happened, one can still open the incubator as long as they can get humidity up again.
Turning isn't necessary the last 4 or 5 days.
I think lock down is prescribed for new hatchers.

The above numbers are for chicken eggs. Adjust accordingly for other species.

 

[sadfacethehen]

Thank you so much for this information.

 

[Hannah6j]

Have you seen a little beak yet??

#6 and #5 have begun to zip
#1 and #4 2 have externally pipped within the last hour
#2 hasn’t done anything yet

No breaks yet!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

How early are they?

 

[Hannah6j]

How early are they?

I began incubation late one evening so have just turned to day 27.

 

[Hannah6j]

I began incubation late one evening so have just turned to day 27.

2 (the two that have begun to zip) internally pipped about half way through day 25

 

[ChickenCanoe]

So I'd guess your temps have been running almost 1F high. That's regardless of what your thermometers are reading. You can compensate for the next hatch.

 

[Hannah6j]

So I'd guess your temps have been running almost 1F high. That's regardless of what your thermometers are reading. You can compensate for the next hatch.

I’d agree. The thermometer has said 37.5 the entire time but I could try 36.5 next time?
Do you think this will/could affect the health of my current hatch?