Silkie Incubation

[moomee56]

Since bantams hatch early what day would you want to stop egg turning? And will someone explain the whole lock down thing to me, please?

 

[moomee56]

Anyone?

 

[SourRoses]

Well, I'm no expert.. but you haven't got any replies yet so I will try to answer.
"Lockdown" is when you stop turning the eggs and don't open the incubator, starting on day 18. You want to give the chicks time to orient themselves properly for hatching. And you want to raise your humidity and keep your temps steady for the hatch, so opening the incubator is somewhat detrimental to that.
I...umm.. am not sure about the bantam thing (anyone?).. but I thought it was just that they hatch a day early more often than other types?
With my Silkies, I went into lockdown on day 18, and they hatched in the evening on day 21.
But I've also read that turning isen't strictly necessary after day 14, as there is no longer danger of the embryo becoming stuck to the shell.... So it shouldn't hurt if you want to lockdown early.

 

[Lacrystol]

Quote:
I have hatching silkies in my incubator right now, we just went into Lockdown today. I have in the past hatched some silkies and bantams and in my experience, I would say they can hatch early but they can also hatch on the 22nd day. Treat them just like a normal chicken. Don't exspect them to hatch a day or two early because they are bantams. Yes they may hatch early but not all the time. I candeling my eggs a day before lockdown and I could see pne was going to come out early while the others looked like they are going to take there time. How do I know this well the chicken is in an shelled egg it's self, in order to come out they have to break through the inner liner then crack the shell, I could see one of my chickens inner liner pulsesating. Which tells me his is going to be early, but the other's were not doing this, they were basically kicked back and relaxing..

Lockdown is when you are on the 18th day like the other member stated, DO NOT OPEN THAT INCUBATOR, if you open it your chickens could end up with shrink wrap. which is the temp goes low, humidity goes down and the inner liner shrink to the chicken basically suficating them. So it's very important that you don't open it even if some of the chicks has hatched.

Tempation is something terribe during this process... I have heard you should not turn after the 14th day but I have not done this yet. I stop turning on the 17th day just like the average chick and have had no problems hatching my little ones.

 

[HHandbasket]

We have silkies in the incubator right now, as well. Four have hatched, one on day 20 and 3 on day 21. Three more have yet to hatch, but they were good when we went into lockdown so we're hoping they'll still hatch. One of them has been intermittently rocking. I got these from a breeder that breeds/sells SQ silkies out in Davis. I know nothing about silkies other than they're super cute & soft & I want some. Four of 7 so far have hatched which is not a bad hatch rate, considering I've heard silkies can be temperamental to hatch in an incubator. Good fertile eggs are worth paying for.

I stopped turning my eggs and put them into lockdown late Thursday night/early Friday morning on day 18. I am pretty sure day 18 is the standard day for lockdown.

Good luck to you and most of all, have fun hatching your eggs.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Day 1-18 I keep humidity around 30-35%. Day 18, I stop turning and bump the humidity up to 65-70%. I also hatch in cartons. The Silkies usually hatch on day 20, but I move them and stop turning on day 18, just like with standard size breeds.

 

[moomee56]

Cool! Ithink I get it now

thanks for all of your help!

 

[jenlynn4]

Day 1-18 I keep humidity around 30-35%. Day 18, I stop turning and bump the humidity up to 65-70%. I also hatch in cartons. The Silkies usually hatch on day 20, but I move them and stop turning on day 18, just like with standard size breeds.

DITTO!