very VERY URGENT QUESTION!

[thatduckguyy]

I was watching my duck eggs and something didn't seem right with one of the eggs. This one was peeping and I saw no cracks or holes. I decided to open the tp ONCE to check a bit around the egg and I found out where he pipped was facing DOWN! Should i turn the egg around to the side he was pipping at? PLEASE HELP

 

[Olive Hill]

No. He'll be fine. Or would have, if you hadn't opened the incubator. Now that you have? All bets are off. Do not open it again until all ducklings are hatched.

 

[thatduckguyy]

Quote:
so.. you are saying I just killed my 5 ducklings? I dont see the harm I bumped the humidity right back up in about 10 minutes..

 

[Olive Hill]

Did you? Time will tell. Could you have? Absolutely.

Hundreds of hatching guides haven't been written to include the rule "DO NOT OPEN THE BATOR DURING LOCKDOWN" just for fun. It really is important that the humidity not fall at all. Not for 30 seconds. Because that fall can result in the shrink wrapping and eventual death of hatchlings. Will it every single time? No. Not necessarily. But it can and it does often enough that it's important you not open the bator.

 

[mstricer]

Quote:
Olive Hill is right, I never open the bator once in lockdown, not even to help. I don't want to risk the whole hatch. If I have to add water I do so through the vents at the top. You may have a good hatch, but if you don't won't you wonder if it was opening the lid?

 

[thatduckguyy]

Quote:
Well, they sound alive to me. I was just making sure they were fine because I thought they would have trouble pushing out.
thanks for the help.

 

[thatduckguyy]

Quote:
Olive Hill is right, I never open the bator once in lockdown, not even to help. I don't want to risk the whole hatch. If I have to add water I do so through the vents at the top. You may have a good hatch, but if you don't won't you wonder if it was opening the lid?

Well my humidity dropped to about 60% for a few mins then i bumped it back up. Could it really hurt that bad?

 

[henney penny]

Is this your first hatch?

 

[thatduckguyy]

Quote:
yes.

 

[yinepu]

I open my bator all the time during lockdown.. those rules are in place for newbies who do not know how to raise the humidity back up FAST
I never have sticky chicks or shrink wrapped chicks.. the main thing is if you must open the bator.. do it fast and get the humidity back up super fast.. you can add some hot water (like the temp for making hot tea) or more sopping wet sponges.. some bators like the Brinsea octogon eco 20 go right back up without much help at all
some people take their incubator into the bathroom where they have a steamy hot shower running to keep the humidity up.. so it can be done very easily and not cause any problems..