What exactly is lock down?

[Celtic Hill]

So, what exactly is lock down?

 

[emvickrey]

It's the last 3 days of incubation where you stop turning the eggs and don't open the bator. Well, not suppose to open bator but i'm betting most of us do. (notice I said us)

 

[pdsavage]

I learned the hard way not to open the last 3 days,now I keep may hands off and watch through the window.

 

[Celtic Hill]

Oh okay, gotchya! you also want high humidity then to right

 

[chkinut]

yes, i was told around 65%. but what i'm wondering is this: what if the humidity needs adjusting during lockdown? what if there's not enough, or too much? can u quickly open it to shove something in (wet rag) or take something out? (wet rag...for example)

 

[emvickrey]

I've heard different stories about the humidity. Basically I read to keep it around 50% then raise it at the end to 70%. But I discovered I have a higher death rate that way. They where dying just before pipping. When I opened up the eggs there was a dead chick with the yolk absorbed. So I figured they drowned. So I lowered it to between 50 and 60% and the chicks come out sticky and I have to fluff them up after they dry myself or wait several days for them to rub themselves fluffy. I actually had most of a hatch fluff up when they dried and wasn't sticky when they hatched with the humidity around 45%. So, what ever works for you I would say. I don't mind fluffin them up myself, but they do. I don't leave them in the bator either. When they dry, they come out unless they are weak. I take them out and fluff them if needed and they go in the brooder. I don't like my bator to get all pooped in.

 

[emvickrey]

Quote:
I have my bator rigged with plastic hose for fish tanks. They run through the vent holes to the wells. I use one of those huge syringes that you put seasonings in meat with to put water in the hose. The only time I open my bator, mostly anyway, is to add water to the sponges in the side for the little extra it may need from time to time.

 

[chkinut]

Quote:
that makes me feel better about not obsessing if the humidity goes below 60%. but if u take out the fluffy butts before the other eggs are hatched, does it affect them? i'm asking cuz i want to make sure to know as much as possible before MY hatch date of march 31st (which, by the way....i feel like is FOREVER away!!)

 

[Barred Rocker]

Taking the chicks out as they hatch means you have to open it up and whoosh, there goes the humidity. If you've got pipped or hatching in progress it could instantly shrink wrap the chicks. I learned this the hard way last year as I didn't know any better. I would take each chick out as it hatched and then found I was having to perform surgery to get the last few out of their shells. This year I'm keeping the bator shut until they're done.

 

[emvickrey]

I take them out when they dry as long as I have the brooder set up and warm, which I usually do. I've had a small problem with shrink wrapping. It was always the ones that pipped through and did nothing else for about a day. I make it a habit to help them out if they are taking too long because they will get shrink wrapped especially if they are near the fan. So far I haven't had any this time around but there are several eggs still in the bator. This time i've had 3 that where upside down in the egg and seemed to be having trouble getting out. Two of those had blood coming out from the hole they made. I helped those out and they are still in the bator and seem to be getting stronger. One is still week, the one that wasn't bleeding. I had another that was in right side up and got itself out only for me to find it was also bleeding. It had ripped it's belly where the cord was attached. I got the bleeding stopped but it was too much for it. It died after a few hours.

Good luck with your hatch. Not all hatches are difficult. I've had more that went smoothly than not. If you have any problems just leave a post here. Somebody will come along and help you out. There are great people on this site. Always willing to lend a hand and good advice.