When to Lockdown guinea eggs ?

[Larry33843]

I'm directing this query to guinea hatchers whose clutches have been hatching in 25 days.

If most keets are hatching on Day 25, when do you remove eggs from turner, increase humidity and go into lockdown ? I don't want to let the auto turner operate too long and disrupt any hatching already started if I'm "late" locking down.

My 45 guinea eggs are in Day 12 and I'm looking ahead for possible problems before they arise. Thanks for replies, Larry

 

[Cindiloohoo]

I always locked down day 24, because mine were early.

 

[Larry33843]

Thanks Cindi for fast reply. Now for other side of the coin - Have you ever experienced adverse situation caused from locking down on day 24 and keets not hatching for four days as in 28 day incubation. Will they be OK not being turned for four days if the take full 28 days ?
Must have something to worry about. Thanks so much, Larry

 

[bigdawg]

they will be fine. i lockdown mine on day 25 and i always have at least one pipped. day 24 is the way to go. they all usally hatch within 24 hrs. at least mine did, and boy are they fast runners.

 

[ChickyChick2420]

Jumping on this thread because by my incubator count I am on day 20 and I just had somebody pip. All the eggs are still on the Turner. What should I do?

 

[R2elk]

Jumping on this thread because by my incubator count I am on day 20 and I just had somebody pip. All the eggs are still on the Turner. What should I do?

Shut the turner off and go into lockdown mode.

There are two possibilities, one is that you have a chicken egg in there or the eggs you have are guinea eggs and were partially incubated before you put them in the incubator. It would not be the first time someone mistook a chicken egg (bantam) for a guinea egg.

 

[ChickyChick2420]

A chicken egg would be a surprise, but the count fits. I have unplugged the turner, but how would you recommend getting the eggs off and candling for lockdown? Should I let the chick/keet finish hatching first?

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks Cindi for fast reply. Now for other side of the coin - Have you ever experienced adverse situation caused from locking down on day 24 and keets not hatching for four days as in 28 day incubation. Will they be OK not being turned for four days if the take full 28 days ?
Must have something to worry about. Thanks so much, Larry

Turning of chicken and duck eggs is less important towards the end of incubation; I assume that the same applies to guinea eggs, so earlier lockdown should be fine.

 

[R2elk]

A chicken egg would be a surprise, but the count fits. I have unplugged the turner, but how would you recommend getting the eggs off and candling for lockdown? Should I let the chick/keet finish hatching first?

Just do what you normally do. I recently forgot to go to lockdown on day 25. When I remembered the next morning, one egg was already pipped. I continued candling and moving the eggs to the hatcher. The egg hatched a pretty little Royal Purple keet later that day.

 

[ChickyChick2420]

Thank you for your help! I am currently prepping my brooder box to keep my eyes off the incubator .

This is only my second round of hatching...so I haven't established "what I normally do" yet.