Thanksgiving Hatch- Anyone want to join in?

[evonne]

good question... i put mine in on friday hoping they'll go the full 21 days but if they came early we'd at least be home part of the day.. (thanksgiving) i'm thinking lockdown on monday??

oh crap... i guess i need to get the hatcher out and stabalized... lol.. doh.. thanks for reminding me it's getting close..

 

[Jen4]

Cant wait for it to get dark tonight... going to candle again, see how everythings going. So exciting

 

[evonne]

i will NOT candle again until lockdown....

i will NOT candle again until lockdown....



i will NOT candle again until lockdown....


okay.. i probly will... lol... i'm ssoo bad about it...

but i have to have the bator open to add new eggs and turn anyway.. right??

 

[neferset]

Candle them in place in the cartons or whatever you are using. Less risk that way.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yes, I am not going to candle again until lockdown. That is why I make sure I candle at about 10 days. To make sure none are going bad and possible explode.
I have to resist the temptation too, so I feel for you Evonne.

Neferset, do you typically go on lockdown a day early or just for the Seramas? I am trying to decide if it is better to go early or at regular time (even if they always hatch a day early).

Also, anyone here use baby jars filled with water at lockdown? I am thinking of doing that because the dry winter is sapping the humidity out of the incubator fast. I have to add water constantly at lockdown and I have had a few "stuck" chicks because of that.
I have tried sponges and pipping water in, but the change from low to higher is wreaking havoc in there. Any suggestions?

 

[neferset]

I always go into lock down a day early, yes. For the seramas, I'm going two days early. It happened that I got some "surprise" eggs in a batch that probably were Seramas. (They are awfully small.) I had a lovely day 18 hatch. Luckily I had moved them a day early with some others so the little ones had a chance to turn while not in an auto turner. During the hatches leading up to the Halloween hatch, I had a couple happen early anyway due to temperature spikes and drops along the way, so I still think it's a good idea no matter what you have, if you have doubts about your incubator. That said, I've also hatched on days 21-23 before, so not just early.

This time I have a mix of ducks, silkies, and seramas. (The ducks are staggered to hatch about the same time as the silkies and seramas.) Everyone will go into lockdown on day 16 for the seramas. I don't think it does any harm and it may do some good. I just can't believe it's almost time. lol It seems like just 3 weeks ago I set that Laundry Room egg... (He's hatching today, in the other thread.)

 

[Jen4]

Does lockdown mean you are not to open your bator or something? I dont have one or know anything about them... I just have a broody BO Should I not candle anymore? I can resist if I have to... I did candle again this evening and the same 5 eggs are doing great, the 6th is just a yolker so I took it out.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

Yes Jen, lockdown means to not open the incubator so that you don't lose precious humidity. Just like your Broody probably won't budge the last few days. I would not candle again. Let nature do its thing.

 

[neferset]

I've never candled with a broody, but I wouldn't do it with only 3-4 days left to go (depending on the breed).

Lockdown, yes, it's when you don't open the incubator. You also increase the humidity and helplessly watch and wait as it gets filled with fluffy little chicks. That's the best case view anyway. I had troubles with my temps and humidity last time.

 

[evonne]

i have water jars in my bator just to help keep the temp stable... i might take the lids off those when i go into lockdown this time.. see how that works...

last time i went on lockdown i put these little plastic fruit cups... w/ warm water in.. worked great until the babies decied to flop into them and couldn't get out.....
they were high enough that they wouldn't fall asleep in the.. but they jumped into them... i solved this by putting the big chunks of carwash sponge into thosesame cups.. it worked well...
just be carefull... kinda sucks to loose all that extra humidity when you open to save one from drowning.. lol..

good luck everybody...