What exactly is "lockdown"?

[Benelli]

I've not hatched any eggs of my own yet and keep seeing it on the message board. Tried to seach "what is lockdown" but that didn't work on any of the threads. Is this a crucial time a few days before the chicks hatch and does that mean you need to be there the entire time?

 

[mener6896]

considering this is my first hatch, and i am in lockdown, I'll tell you what I know.

On day 18, you take out the auto egg turner if you use one, you fill all the water troughs in the incubator to raise the humidity, and you DO NOT OPEN IT until after they all hatch, and then add 24-48 hrs. Since it's so hard not to open the incubator, it's call lock down!!

No you don't have to be there all the time, because I am driving myself crazy watching my eggs!! I currently have 2 chipped, shaking eggs (6 eggs total) I thought I'd start small.

I hope this helps, and I'm sure a more experienced hatcher will fill you in if I missed anything!

 

[Benelli]

It helps a lot. I didn't want to really ask. I was hoping a new member would ask, but I'm thinking about ordering an incubator this week and thought I better find out what I was getting myself into, like working work around my hatch schedule, ha ha. Thanks

 

[speckledhen]

Lockdown is a term coined here on BYC. I've been known to call it "IBW" or Intense Bator Watch (or Broody Watch, whichever). It's just day 18-21 (or Day 18 till whenever they hatch.) You just don't open the bator except for an emergency so the humidity will stay high, hence "lockdown".