Chicken Egg Lockdown Guide
What lockdown means, when to stop turning, and how to keep hatch conditions stable.
Show the dated plan before eggs are set.
The final stretch, when the best help is usually stable conditions and patience.
Calculate Lockdown DateQuick Answer
For chicken eggs, lockdown usually starts around day 18. Stop turning, remove or disable the turner, place eggs for hatch, move toward the recommended lockdown humidity range, and keep lid openings brief and intentional.
What matters most
Lockdown changes the job
Before lockdown, the work is turning and steady development. During lockdown, the chick is positioning, pipping, and zipping. Too much handling can create more risk than it solves.
Set up the hatch space
Remove automatic turners when your incubator design calls for it, lay eggs so they can hatch safely, add water according to the manual, and verify that vents are not accidentally closed beyond the maker guidance.
Use patience as a control
Pipping can start before the chick is ready to zip. A slow hatch is not automatically a failed hatch. Keep notes, watch humidity and temperature patterns, and avoid repeated checks that cool or dry the hatch chamber.
Reviewed against extension and veterinary sources. Adjust to your incubator manual and local conditions.