Incubation Question...

[The Chick Addict]

Hi there!

I have about 6 eggs in my incubator right now. Today is Day 18, so I have set the incubator on lockdown according to my Nurture Right 360's instructions, temp. is 99.5 currently, and humidity is 70%.

Out of the six eggs, most of them are on day 18, however two are on day 19-20, and one is on day 15-17 (courtesy of a broody that hid this egg.)

I was concerned that this younger egg would be risked during lockdown? Would the humidity affect it, and since I have removed the egg turner, will no turning affect it as well, even though it's not time for this egg to be locked down?

I read on a thread that after day 14, eggs do not necessarily need to be turned- is this true?

Thanks for any feedback and advice!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

True that after the second week, turning is less necessary.
Everything should be ok with the dates. The higher humidity you will have going forward shouldn't be a problem unless the day 15 egg hasn't lost enough weight. That is the entire reason for checking humidity. Eggs should lose 11-12% weight up to lockdown, regardless of species. Other than that, eggs can endure any humidity from 10 to 100 as long as over the course of incubation, they lose enough but not too much. Then it needs to be higher before pipping.

Th only potential problem I see is if you are relying solely on the incubator reading for temperature accuracy. They aren't always accurate.

 

[Mvan42]

All the eggs should be ok. They younger one will get moved around when the others hatch so turning won't be to much of an issue.
I have never tried it but the humidity may be OK for it but it may have a little extra moisture in it when time to hatch and you may need to watch it when time to hatch.

 

[The Chick Addict]

Thank you so much for both of y'alls feedback, this helps so much! Just had a chick hatch today while I wasn't home! Another one should hatch tonight, and the rest should hatch tomorrow or on Thursday. There are going to be storms tonight, so I hope the power won't be going out.

I have one more question; would it be a bad thing to take the chick out and then put it back in? Would taking it out affect the other chicks in lockdown.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The only real problem taking the chick out is that you will be letting humidity out, possibly threatening those about to hatch with becoming shrink wrapped if any have pipped when RH drops.
Hopefully the one that hatched is one that you identified yesterday as being day 19/20..

 

[Debbie292d]

I once had silkie eggs pip on Day 17 and often have them pipping on Day 18, so I regularly do a five-day lockdown. I've had to do a seven-day lockdown a couple of times. None of this ever hurt any of the hatches, as they are large enough by that time and more mobile, so they can't stick to the shell. The additional days at a higher humidity doesn't affect them either.

For when they start hatching:

Chicks can live up to 72 hours without food/water as they are absorbing and living off their yolk. Perhaps you could get lucky and the broody hen egg is on Day 17, then they'd all hatch within that same two-day period. Once you see that younger egg hatch, you could get the others out.

If it hasn't pipped, you could still get those chicks out sooner. You can put a rolled up damp paper towel in there to bring the humidity back up faster.

Wishing you a great hatch!