Question about lockdown

[5 Points Wingfeather]

If one is going to err, is it better to lockdown one day early or one day late?


I had a hen trying to go broody and wasn’t planning on letting her hatch but then my neighbor wanted some chicks so I took the eggs from the broody (she’ll hatch but isn’t a great mama) and put them in incubator. My best guess is that they are due to hatch about Aug 2 but I’m sure they will be at least slightly staggered and I could be at least 24 hours off. With all that said, when should I go into lockdown in those circumstances

 

[BarnyardChaos]

My best guess - and it is just a guess - is that it's better to be a day late. Let's see if others corroborate......
(My thoughts are that a mama chicken knows nothing about lockdown, and it's likely that she disturbs her eggs right up until hatching. With still 2 days to go, they've still got time to reposition inside the shell. Less risk of getting stuck to the membrane.)

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

@azygous @wolfwalker @MysteryChicken do y’all have any thoughts?

 

[Toothpick]

When I recently hatched my current flock I had gotten 2 eggs from the neighbor behind me that has game chickens. He said it was just laid the day I got them but IDK for sure. I put them in the incubator about 36 hours before I put in the rest of the eggs. They all went on lockdown at the same time as I based the 21 days off the 18 eggs I bought rather than just the 2 I was given. So the 2 I was given went on lockdown a day late if they were laid when he said they were.

1 of the eggs didn’t hatch but one did. So in my experience 24-36 hours late didn’t matter. The egg that didn’t hatch I don’t believe was fertile.

 

[MysteryChicken]

If one is going to err, is it better to lockdown one day early or one day late?


I had a hen trying to go broody and wasn’t planning on letting her hatch but then my neighbor wanted some chicks so I took the eggs from the broody (she’ll hatch but isn’t a great mama) and put them in incubator. My best guess is that they are due to hatch about Aug 2 but I’m sure they will be at least slightly staggered and I could be at least 24 hours off. With all that said, when should I go into lockdown in those circumstances

Lockdown can be any of these days: 16, 17, & 18.

 

[wolfwalker]

@azygous @wolfwalker @MysteryChicken do y’all have any thoughts?

There will be no problem with locking down at the estimated first possible hatching date. I have placed eggs in the incubator from a broody that took her chicks and jumped off the nest. I didn't worry about turning and the staggered hatch lasted 9 days.

Once the chick survives the first 14 days, they are mobile enough that turning is not as critical as it was in the beginning.

I also routinely lock down on day 17 without issue