Set eggs 3/17.... Anyone else?

[Egghead_Jr]

Lockdown in two days for me. The temp to about mid egg is 99-100, when I take them out of the turner and set them in the bottom, should I increase the temp so it will maintain a steady temp for the eggs?

You don't neccesarily have to. Being lower in incubator will be cooler but that's ok. The chicks are producing their own heat last few days and will raise heat in incubator. Hova-bator instructions are to actually lower temp last few days to 98. It's for that reason. It's akin to only needing 60% humidity at start of lock down because as they pip and zip will raise humidity on their own. Though these things require a lot of eggs in incubator. If your only hatching a dozen apposed to 30 to 40 then temp/humidity change by eggs is insignificant.

 

[blkwdw]

Woohoo, lockdown!!

 

[curranchickens]

Okay.. I set my eggs at 5pm on the 17th so at 5 pm on the 4th my eggs go into lockdown. My first lockdown ever. I am nervous. I went to the petco tonight and bought some aquarium tubbing and a tiny funnel. I plan on running it in the hovabator through the hole for the egg turner cord so I can add water during lockdown if needed without opening the lid.

I had a huge dip in temp the other night... Not my incubators fault.. Mine... It has been very warm in VA so I have not had my heat on... It dipped down significantly the other night so badly that I had to scrap ice off my windshield to get the kids to the bus stop the next morning. The whole house was freezing. I had 15 that were moving around but now only have 8. Uggggggggggggg...

 

[BrainyChick]

It'll be my first lock down tomorrow as well!
I set mine at 4pm on the 17th.
Thats a great idea with the tubbing and funnel, and i might have to try that! Thanks!
I started with 11 and had 8 or 9 moving two nights ago when i candled. Im so sorry about your loss already! (but it was St. Patrick's Day when they were set, maybe it'll be lucky!)
Keep us posted, I'm glad I'm not the only one who is nervous!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

All righty, we candled last night and tossed 6 more. From the original 34, 24 made it to lock down. Of the 14 shipped eggs 7 made it and some of those look a bit behind in development. We'll see. It's my blight on shipped eggs, definitely last time. We are hopping to get at least a blue Blue Rock boy out of them, if that happens then we are in great shape. Heck a splash would be great.

Made a Big Blocks divider (kids leggo) for the incubator to partition off the pure Plymouth Rocks, laid down paper towels, took eggs out of cartons to lay flat and have two tumblers of water in (each side of divider to hold in place) to see what the humidity will settle at. I'm 5 hours early on lock down but this is to have time to adjust humidity before it's hands off and fingers crossed.

 

[curranchickens]

I am going to hatch in cartons. I have read a lot about it and think I am going to give it a try. People say by hatching them in cartons, the hatched chicks leave the unhatched eggs alone more and it is an easier clean up. We will see!

Lockdown is 5 pm tonight!!!!!!!

 

[Blue EE]

Just candled again and can see the 3 brown eggs clearly. The blue and green eggs I can see the air space only and it is"normal" I think. One thermometer showed 104'F the other morning and the two others showed 99'F. This one was closest to the egg turner motor. I just dont know. Not seeing any movement and I am a full day behind the starting 17Th group. Yes I'm anxious and will lock down tomorrow night.

 

[blkwdw]

Okay.. I set my eggs at 5pm on the 17th so at 5 pm on the 4th my eggs go into lockdown. My first lockdown ever. I am nervous. I went to the petco tonight and bought some aquarium tubbing and a tiny funnel. I plan on running it in the hovabator through the hole for the egg turner cord so I can add water during lockdown if needed without opening the lid.
I had a huge dip in temp the other night... Not my incubators fault.. Mine... It has been very warm in VA so I have not had my heat on... It dipped down significantly the other night so badly that I had to scrap ice off my windshield to get the kids to the bus stop the next morning. The whole house was freezing. I had 15 that were moving around but now only have 8. Uggggggggggggg...

How cold are you talking?
I dont think I'd pitch any, they may just be a little slower in hatching.


To: egghead jr, I also have some that really look behind in development, but they are moving, so will keep them in as long as they dont smell

 

[curranchickens]

How cold are you talking?
I dont think I'd pitch any, they may just be a little slower in hatching.
To: egghead jr, I also have some that really look behind in development, but they are moving, so will keep them in as long as they dont smell

They were dead. The bottom 1/2 of the egg was clear and there was a dark embryo floating in the fat end of the egg. The embryos were black with absolutely no movement and no more veins. I cracked a couple open to make sure and they were dead. It looks like they all stopped about the same time.

 

[blkwdw]

Curranchickens, I am so sorry, so disappointing.

Yesterday was lockdown for me, and tonight I saw one little pip...woohoo