Incuview - Incubating Flat, Hatching Upright?

[Julia828]

Hi, I have an Incuview incubator. The "turner" rolls the eggs horizontally instead of angling them from side to side, from an upright position.

I'm inclined at Lockdown, to take the eggs out of the turner, and put them in cut-back egg cartons, so they can hatch upright. Historically, I've always hatched upright in my Brinsea Octagon and gotten great hatch rates (95%), once I started this process at Lockdown.

The question is really - is it ok to incubate flat, and then hatch upright? Or is it true that if you incubate flat, you must then hatch flat, for the best hatch rates?

Thanks! Changing to a new incubator has my anxiety level way high. I love the view on the Incuview, and it holds a steady temp well. But I was surprised by the horizontal egg turner (really, roller).

Best,
Julia

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Hi, I have an Incuview incubator. The "turner" rolls the eggs horizontally instead of angling them from side to side, from an upright position.

I'm inclined at Lockdown, to take the eggs out of the turner, and put them in cut-back egg cartons, so they can hatch upright. Historically, I've always hatched upright in my Brinsea Octagon and gotten great hatch rates (95%), once I started this process at Lockdown.

The question is really - is it ok to incubate flat, and then hatch upright? Or is it true that if you incubate flat, you must then hatch flat, for the best hatch rates?

Thanks! Changing to a new incubator has my anxiety level way high. I love the view on the Incuview, and it holds a steady temp well. But I was surprised by the horizontal egg turner (really, roller).

Best,
Julia

I've always laid mine down to hatch, even when I used the upright turner. My highest hatch rate was 100% with 20 of my own eggs. After my second hatch I switched to hand turning so mine are laid down from day one. You can hatch upright after incubating laying down. But laying down, which is more natural doesn't decrease hatch rate. I usually get between 85-100% I think the new turners that roll instead of tilt are better, personally.

 

[Pyxis]

I agree with AmyLynn. I never hatch upright. I always lay them down to hatch. And I have heard that after a certain point of incubating them horizontally putting them vertically can kill the embryo. I'm not sure if that would still apply to a chick so close to hatching but I wouldn't take the chance.

I can't see a reason that I would ever hatch upright unless I had a floating air cell but by the time they reach hatch day the chorio-allantoic membrane would have grown and pinned it in place anyway, so I don't think I'd need to hatch upright even then.

 

[Tabasco Jack]

I use this turner in my cabinet incubator and tried hatching upright once. It was a disaster. Chicks couldn't get out of the eggs. I had to help several get out.
So I went back to keeping them flat for hatching. I just put some dividers in so they don't roll and run all over the place.

 

[Julia828]

Thanks for the replies! Something to think about; the rollers are more natural, mimicking nature. I should've mentioned - I've been hatching a lot of shipped eggs. And in that instance, I do need to incubate upright (due to detached air cells). Even with a rest period, and then 48 hours without a turner, in the incubator, some of them don't re-attach.

I think I've decided - stick with Incuview for my own eggs (on side for incubation and hatch). And Brinsea Octagon (upright) for shipped eggs.

Thank you again!
Julia

 

[AmyLynn2374]

Thanks for the replies! Something to think about; the rollers are more natural, mimicking nature. I should've mentioned - I've been hatching a lot of shipped eggs. And in that instance, I do need to incubate upright (due to detached air cells). Even with a rest period, and then 48 hours without a turner, in the incubator, some of them don't re-attach.

I think I've decided - stick with Incuview for my own eggs (on side for incubation and hatch). And Brinsea Octagon (upright) for shipped eggs.

Thank you

Shipped eggs can definitely throw a wrench in things. Sounds like a good plan.

 

[Storybook Farm]

I have the Incuview, hatch my own eggs, and have never had a 100% hatch. It seems to me that several eggs each time pip in the mid-range of the egg, rather than where they are expected/supposed to. I have long wondered if this is a result of the horizontal position (for me, all the way from setting to hatching). Thoughts?

 

[SiriusChicken]

I like how the IncuView simulates natural rolling like the hen would do but this is my first time using it. I have shipped eggs so I cut out holders from cardboard egg cartons with vent holes for circulation for the three eggs with more damaged air cells. I taped the holders to the side of the tray by the turner to hand turn vertically. The rest roll naturally but I do a hand turning once a day like Pete55 suggested.

He has a great article here about how to deal with shipped eggs with damaged air cells and he explains the science and steps of the whole hatching process. He's very knowledgeable and it was super helpful and really interesting. Apparently the chorio-Allantoic membrane grows over the air cell by day 15 and holds it in place so you can do horizontally after that. Here's the link.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...aged-and-mal-positioned-egg-air-cells.501034/

 

[Storybook Farm]

How's your hatch going? I'll be interested to hear about your experience/impressions!

 

[SiriusChicken]

How's your hatch going? I'll be interested to hear about your experience/impressions!

Last night I started having high temperature spikes and fluctuations depending on where the tray moves. It's much hotter in the corners and on the right side. It went up to 102 at 6pm & at midnight it was 106 in one corner. I retested the Hygrometer by putting it beside the sensor and it still matched. So I could have a fan problem. I added water and checked the temp a couple places and then the temp lowered to 101. This morning it was 98.8. Room temperature was 70 all night and the highest it gets during the day in 73. Now it's 102 again in the corner but the center is 99.5. I'm going to contact Incubator warehouse today. I'm sure I lost a lot of eggs but hopefully the ones in the center and on the left side are all ok.

When I weigh & candle at day 7 I'll update it here. That'll be Day 14 in the countdown. I'm only on day 17 in the countdown today. I do really like the countdown and the control panel with all the readings. They are great and the clear top is amazing. It's so easy to see your thermometer/Hygrometer readings and all the eggs. I like to keep detailed records so this is definitely my kind of incubator. Its a lot of fun. I hope this temperature thing is fixable.