# Lockdown question



## Alassejane (Feb 16, 2013)

I know that incubation is roughly between 18-21 days but I've got 1 egg in my brand new brinsea advance bator that's doing really well. Should I go into lockdown on the 18th day or wait until near the time when the egg shows first signs of internal\external pipping? 

Tomorrow will be the 12th day since the egg was laid. I am also having a hard time finding out about the humidity. I have it roughly at 35 - 50% with temps at 37.5*c. I am forever reading up and can't find anything solid for humidity. I am a novice at breeding tiels, a big leap from budgies, diamond doves and finches XD

Anyone who uses this type of bator that can give me me ANY tips on successful hatches, I would love to hear from you guys or anyone that can give me advice would be appreciated.

Xx


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## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

My house is pretty much always at a 49%-52% humidity with an average of 50%. I've tried to look up for the ideal humidity level and it seems to be around 50%. I'm not completely sure but I've had all my birds eggs have hatched thus far. 
Usually, if the humidity is too low, the parents will increase the humidity by wetting their bottoms and going in the nestbox like that. If they don't and the humidity is too low, you can lightly mist the sidewalls of the nestbox with water.

However, I've always put a very small bowl of water in my birds nestbox, as far away from where they are incubating as I can. Just in case 

I've only had experience with 2 clutches of 5 eggs, so my knowledge is pretty limited. Most of my advice is from what I've heard and what I've read


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## Fredandiris (Nov 27, 2012)

Also, to somewhat answer your first question, hatch dates can range from 18-21 days, depending on the environmental conditions. Mine hatch at 17 days. 

You can try candling the eggs that are soon to hatch. When they're close to hatching, the air cell with tilt. Here's a link on how to candle eggs (sorry if it looks weird, I'm using my phone to type this)

http://www.internationalcockatielresource.com/candling-eggs.html


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I'm not quite sure what you mean by lockdown, but here's what the AFA's Fundamentals of Aviculture course has to say about humidity and artificial incubation: 


> If a hygrometer is used, the optimum relative humidity for the first two weeks of incubation is lower than 42%. After the first two weeks, humidity can be elevated slightly, but this extra humidity is usually not necessary. At hatch time, humidity levels should be elevated to 80% or higher for eggs that have incubated normally and have lost their proper weight (see Egg Weight Loss Computations). In cases in which the eggs may be overweight at hatch time, use of a lower humidity (around 65%) may be more effective.


Alternatively, I've heard that 50% humidity is good for hatching. This site recommends 40 to 50% humidity during most of incubation and 65% or more during hatch: http://avianaquamiser.com/posts/Humidity_during_chicken_incubation/

Here are a couple of links to information on the Brinsea website. I didn't spot the humidity amounts with a quick look, but it's probably there if you look more carefully:
http://www.brinsea.com/pdffiles/Brinsea_Handbook.pdf
http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/humidity.html

The last link is specifically about managing humidity issues.


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## tielfan (Aug 31, 2008)

I looked up lockdown. Apparently after day 18 of incubation (for chickens; I don't know what day it would be for cockatiels) you're supposed to just leave the incubator closed. No turning the eggs or opening the door for any other reason, to maintain the humidity level in the incubator.

I don't know whether anyone here has experience with artificial incubation. My advice is to contact the Brinsea company and ask what they recommend for cockatiel eggs. Here's a link with information on getting help: http://www.brinsea.com/customerservice/help.html

Edited to add: the natural incubation for cockatiel eggs is 16-18 days, although some eggs might hatch later depending on weather conditions. Most of my babies hatch at 17 days, although this year all of Shodu's eggs hatched at 16 days for some reason. My guess is that the lockdown period for tiel eggs might be sooner than 18 days. If you can't find specific information on artificial incubation of cockatiel eggs, then it might be best to do it at the first sign of pipping (assuming that this is the general goal of lockdown - I don't actually know much about it).


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## Alassejane (Feb 16, 2013)

Thanks guys, im just getting overly worried that eggs do not make it to hatch. This is my first batch from my tiel thats made it thus far. Her first ever clutch didnt make it at the beginning of the year with my male tiel being stupidly clumsy and the weather conditions were awful here in the uk. 

It gets frustrating waiting for them to hatch (yes im impatient)... i think im more stressed out than the parents :lol:

Its 12 days today since the first egg was laid :excited: and im trying not to get my hopes up. 

Hopefully in about a weeks time ill be sharing some photos. Fingers crossed for the 5 babies

Xx


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## roxy culver (May 27, 2010)

Is there a reason why the eggs are in an incubator? Are you going to feed the babies from day one? Its very hard to do that if you are, its every two hours for a week. I don't know anything about incubation as I've always let my tiels do it. Good luck!


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## Alassejane (Feb 16, 2013)

Yeah im am going to hand feed the one thats in the bator and see how i get on and the others are with mom and dad of which ill be co parenting with. 

Ive done numerous hand feeds with other birds i own from day one (budgies, finches) due to parent complications and such, and i even go as far as taking them to work with me which is only at the weekends. :lol:

i love the hard work that goes into raising babies


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