Today is Lockdown day! First-timer (sort of) with a question on lock-down!

[Sweetpea3829]

I set my eggs on Wednesday night, May the 15th. I just rotated them at 7pm and have my timer set to rotate them again at midnight (I'm always up at midnight...we're homeschoolers and I've always a ton to do). When do I add the extra water, and when do I stop rotating them? Tonight? Tomorrow morning?

So I'm expecting them to start hatching on Wednesday...should they start Wednesday night (since we set them at night)? Or will they start any time on Wednesday? We actually have to be out of the house all day on Thursday due to an appointment which is a couple of hours from home. So the timing isn't fantastic. But I understand the chicks will be fine if they hatch in the incubator and we're not home, yes?

 

[Habibs Hens]

you will start to see pips on 4th June evening time and hatches will commence during the night and can go on through out the day of 5th

all should hatch no later than morning of the 6th


hatched chicks can stay in bator for over 12 hours without issues

 

[Sweetpea3829]

Oh really, that early? I was thinking we'd be seeing pips on Wednesday evening with hatching overnight and throughout the day Thursday. I'm nervous to put them in the brooder box right away, being as how it's our first time brooding the chicks. We did hatch a set a couple of years ago, as part of a homeschool project, but the chicks went back to the farm the next day. This time, we're keeping them.

I'd prefer to have them in the brooder box with us being home for that first day or so. But it is what it is. The appointment cannot be changed, and the eggs had to incubate when they did because the neighbor had gathered them quite a bit before he gave them to us. As it is, we lost quite a few of the original 17 eggs we were incubating. Most of the ones we lost were quitters, maybe only one or two that never even started.

So when do I add the extra water to the incubator? And should I even turn them again tonight at midnight?

 

[Habibs Hens]

you can stop turning (yesterday was day 18 -- 1st June)

and up the humidity

then leave them

they can stay in incubator till after you return

they will be fine

just reduce temp to 37C (98.6F)



although I have a closed off brooder so If I have to leave them there is no issue

if yours is a closed brooder then go ahead pop them in there before you leave and they will be fine

they will most prob just sit under the lamp while your away anyway