When to remove the egg turner in incubator?

[Tessanator]

What day do I remove the egg turning trays in incubator? I am hatching chickens first time...

Then do I put a paper towel or a shelf liner down?

 

[Auntiejessi3]

What day do I remove the egg turning trays in incubator? I am hatching chickens first time...

Then do I put a paper towel or a shelf liner down?

Day 18 begins lockdown, so you'd remove the turner and eggs and put your shelf liner down. Everyone does things differently, but this is the general "rule of thumb".

 

[pennyJo1960]

What day do I remove the egg turning trays in incubator? I am hatching chickens first time...

Then do I put a paper towel or a shelf liner down?

Have to agree with Jessie pm this.

 

[Ridgerunner]

What day do I remove the egg turning trays in incubator? I am hatching chickens first time...

The standard is to go into lockdown after 18 days of incubation. That means stop turning the eggs, position the eggs for hatch, and increase the humidity. You count the days by saying "0" the day you put them in, "1" the following day, and continue until you say "18". A lot of people start counting the day the eggs go in and usually don't have any problems with that even though they are a day early. Timing is not that critical but I like to do it correctly.

Then do I put a paper towel or a shelf liner down?

Which incubator do you have? What does the floor look like? Different incubators can be different so different things work. With mine I don't want to interfere with air flow so I don't use anything solid. I use a 1/4" hardware cloth section stiff enough keep the eggs out out of the water in the water trays underneath but allows great air flow. Other people with different incubators use paper towels or shelf liner. The chicks need to be able to walk without slipping on a slick surface and injuring themselves.

The idea is to do all of your lockdown work at the same time.

Good luck! Let us know how your hatch goes.

 

[Tessanator]

The standard is to go into lockdown after 18 days of incubation. That means stop turning the eggs, position the eggs for hatch, and increase the humidity. You count the days by saying "0" the day you put them in, "1" the following day, and continue until you say "18". A lot of people start counting the day the eggs go in and usually don't have any problems with that even though they are a day early. Timing is not that critical but I like to do it correctly.


Which incubator do you have? What does the floor look like? Different incubators can be different so different things work. With mine I don't want to interfere with air flow so I don't use anything solid. I use a 1/4" hardware cloth section stiff enough keep the eggs out out of the water in the water trays underneath but allows great air flow. Other people with different incubators use paper towels or shelf liner. The chicks need to be able to walk without slipping on a slick surface and injuring themselves.

The idea is to do all of your lockdown work at the same time.

Good luck! Let us know how your hatch goes.

I have the Maticoopx 20 egg. I have about 8 fertile eggs in there. on day 13 left of the countdown. I will cut a pc of rubber shelf liner, its is 'breathable'

 

[Tessanator]

Thank you for your help! I needed to do a trial run before my very expensive hatching eggs arrive in March. I appreciate any recommendations.

 

[Echelontheory101]

I have the Maticoopx 20 egg. I have about 8 fertile eggs in there. on day 13 left of the countdown. I will cut a pc of rubber shelf liner, its is 'breathable'

That's the same one I have but I have the 30 egg and the floor isn't terrible but the gaps are a little big for tiny feet and the plastic can get slippery so i use a little breathable silicone mat made for air fryers like this

 

[redinator]

Thank you for your help! I needed to do a trial run before my very expensive hatching eggs arrive in March. I appreciate any recommendations.

If you want some 'hands-off' experience the hatch alongs are a great way to learn the basics and get some ideas on different techniques and so on. Not to mention learning what do when things inevitably go wrong.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/hatch-a-longs.16184/ There's almost always somebody hatching something on here.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I have the Maticoopx 20 egg. I have about 8 fertile eggs in there. on day 13 left of the countdown. I will cut a pc of rubber shelf liner, its is 'breathable'

I have the 20 and the 30, and for the most part they are a set it and forget it type of incubator, besides the water bottle. I've had great hatches in them. Hoping you have a great hatch as well!