Taking egg out during lockdown

[Ray987]

Hello, if humidity outside my incubator reads 60-70% Is it ok to take egg out for candling during lockdown?

 

[Ridgerunner]

There are exceptions for everything. If the humidity really is that high the risk is a lot less than if it is 20% or 30%. Some people take the incubator into a bathroom, shut the door and run the shower to get the humidity way up before they open it.

I don't know why you want to candle the eggs. If it were important to me I'd take that risk.

 

[LaFleche]

Hello, if humidity outside my incubator reads 60-70% Is it ok to take egg out for candling during lockdown?

No. Why would you want to do it after lockdown?

The candling is done several times throughout the 18 days before lockdown. There is no need to candle eggs after lockdown as the last candling is done the same day right before putting the eggs in lockdown.

 

[Ray987]

No. Why would you want to do it after lockdown?

The candling is done several times throughout the 18 days before lockdown. There is no need to candle eggs after lockdown as the last candling is done the same day right before putting the eggs in lockdown.

I made a dumb mistake of adding a 2nd batch of eggs 3 days after the first batch so it was all messy and the 2nd batch entered lockdown 3 days early than it should so I was worried the embryos might be dead but just now they started pipping thankfully

 

[LaFleche]

I made a dumb mistake of adding a 2nd batch of eggs 3 days after the first batch so it was all messy and the 2nd batch entered lockdown 3 days early than it should so I was worried the embryos might be dead but just now they started pipping thankfully

Well, although this situation is not ideal, they should mske it nontheless.

Good luck for your hatch!

 

[killmak]

I am not sure why there were so many don't take the eggs out during lockdown. Sure you don't want to disturb them unless necessary but you aren't going to shrink wrap them by taking them out for a minute. Momma hen goes and eats and drinks during lockdown and she doesn't have shrink wrap issues. Now if there are pips it can be a bigger issue, or if it takes your incubator hours to get back up to humidity.

 

[Ridgerunner]

you aren't going to shrink wrap them by taking them out for a minute.

I have.

 

[killmak]

I have.

Before it has pipped? I don't know if you saw that part down lower. I guess I should have put it up higher in the comment. An egg that hasn't pipped yet is no different than one a few days from lockdown when it comes to humidity and shrink wrapping. Hens don't do lockdown, but they do not move after the eggs start to pip. So yes after pipping don't remove pipped eggs from the incubator and don't open the incubator unless necessary.

 

[Ridgerunner]

No, I did not see that part. I agree if it hasn't pipped the risk is extremely low. Even if it has pipped they do not shrink wrap most of the time.

I try to be hands off, interfere as little as possible with most things chicken. But if I have a problem inside the incubator I need to deal with I open the incubator and do what I think I have to do. It's not something I do casually or just because it is fun, I weigh the risks and do what I think is best.