Turning on hatching days is ok?

[zara30]

Turning on hatching days is ok?

 

[MyNameIs86]

hatching day is considered lock down. you are really supposed to not have the egg turner turning on hatch day as the turner can squish chicks that have hatched.

 

[sumi]

You must stop turning on day 18 and remove the turner if possible. After day 18 the chicks get into position to hatch, so it's best not too disturb them and move them around then.

 

[Sally Sunshine]

Here are a few links to help you out..... Hatching Eggs 101 ~ Guide to ASSISTED Hatching ~ Mushy Chick Disease

this is a paste from the 101 Article

CANDLE EGGS
DAY 18 & LOCKDOWN!​

Candle day 18 is to determine growth, weigh, pencil mark air cell size and dispose bad eggs.
It will look pretty dark and FULL in there! You may or may not see movement on this candle.
Its ok if not, don’t panic! The chick may easily be resting!

See how that air cell is beginning to dip more to one side? This is a natural occurrence to help aid in the hatching process. If you lay the egg down on a flat surface it will roll itself into the correct position for hatching with the greatest part of the air cell up. I now mark the upward side of the egg so I know how it should remain for hatching. This is the best position for hatching so that the chick is able to turn into hatching position. See images below….

Day 18 laying horizontal for actual hatching helps a chick hatch 1-2 hours earlier.
The hatching position, with each egg lying on its side, is commonly accepted as the most conductive to efficient hatching, and the freedom of the egg to shift or roll at least to some slight degree appears to contribute to the ease and facility with which the chicks may fracture the shell by pecking to emerge from.​

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LOCKDOWN!
Stop turning, Remove Turner and Raise Humidity to 62-65%
NOTE: It is now known that the different embryos communicate with each other by a series of clicking sounds,
the rate of clicking being the important feature. Ensuring the eggs on the hatching trays are in contact with each other facilitates
the synchronization of hatching where the eggs are incubated in a modern machine. This assists in reducing the time between when the first and last chicks hatch.


DO NOT OPEN THE INCUBATOR UNTIL YOUR EGGS HAVE HATCHED!
After Day 18 candle you will “LOCK DOWN” your eggs. Lower the temperature about ½ degree and increase the humidity the last three days. STOP turning and the incubator stays closed, unconditionally for the next three days while the chicks hatch! If you’re having a hard time with humidity it is OK to open quickly to boost, add warm water or increase the size of the pan or add a wet sponge.
NEVER ADJUST HUMIDITY BY cutting back airflow.
VENTILATION is EXTREMELY important at this stage!

Note: It’s not necessary but I like to place a piece of foam grip drawer mat on the wire bottom of incubator on day on day 18 lockdown. A cloth, crinoline, or paper towels could work as well. This protects the navel, the place where the abdomen closes after surrounding the remains of the yolk, from injury. It also makes cleaning the incubator easier. NO the wire on the incubator bottom should not injure or effect your chicks after they hatch. Dollar store baskets are great to keep hatching chicks separated by breed.

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PREPARE BROODER:
Prepare everything you need for them once they have hatched.
Now is the time to do final checks on brooder, heat lamp and feed.
See bottom of article for links on chick care.

Click on the link below for more Brooder Ideas!
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/homemade-chicken-brooder-designs-pictures


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Understanding The Hatching Process

Between the 15th and 16th days, the chick orients itself so that its head is near the air cell at the large end of the egg. Not long before the chick is ready to attempt to make its way out of the shell its neck acquires a double bend so that its beak is under its right wing and pointed toward the air cell.
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21 DAYS is just a baseline for hatching eggs.
Many chicks can take 23 - 25 days!
Some pip internally and fully hatch in hours while others will be 24 hours or more.

Egg movement! Eggs can “Rock n Roll” days before they are due to hatch!

The initiation of hatch occurs partially from the increased carbon dioxide level in the egg. This process causes the embryo to begin twitching it's muscles allowing the inner shell membrane to be punctured by the egg tooth. The chick then begins breathing the air in the air cell. Using its egg tooth, it pecks at the shell thousands of times and after a few hours the chick pips a small hole through the shell and begins to breathe air directly from the outside. After the chick has made a hole in the shell, it stops pipping for 8+ hours sometimes up to 24 hours and rests.
During this time, it is acclimating its lungs.

After the resting stage is completed the second stage of pipping begins. The chick begins to turn slowly inside the egg. As the chick turns counter-clockwise it uses the cutting edge of the chick tooth to chip away. As the chick progresses in its movement around the shell, it begins pushing on the large air cell end of the egg. Squirming and struggling! YES STRUGGLING! The chick works feverishly pushing at the cap. Finally with a shove the chick breaks free from the shell wet and exhausted. When the chick is freed completely from the shell it lies still. Its energy has been virtually exhausted, and it is extremely tired. After resting the chick begins to gain more and more energy and coordination of its muscles.





In regards to opening and closing the bator to remove already hatch chicks; It is important to remember that chicks can go 3 days without food/water. It is better to wait for the remaining chicks to hatch to insure reducing the impact to unhatched pipping eggs.

But my new chick is running around in the bator knocking eggs around!
LET THEM GO! DO NOT OPEN THE INCUBATOR! They are fine!

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