Classroom Duck Incubation Questions-egg turner or no?

[MsSBoston]

Hi all!

I'm about to begin a second year of hatching ducks with my 1st grade class! I had a 50% hatch rate last year and am trying to increase it this year! I'm looking for a few pieces of advice!

I changed to a circulated air Hova-Bator incubator (SB15219M) from an old still air incubator that wasn't very consistent, so I'm hoping that will help, but I'm wondering about the included egg turner. Last year I hand turned them 3 times a day, but only during school hours 8-4ish, and over the weekend they didn't move. I'm wondering if not being able to turn them over the weekend made a difference. The egg turner that came with the Hova-Bator is what I have (model SB12143M) and I've set it to the large egg settings. I know it doesn't let them lie horizontal, which I know is not preferred. Should I use it the egg turner? Should I turn by hand? Should I use the egg turner over the weekend and turn by hand over the week?

TLDR: Question- Should I use an automatic egg turner so that they can be turned over the weekend and over night even if it doesn't let them lie horizontal?

 

[Miss Lydia]

@WVduckchick

 

[llombardo]

So where do the little ones go once hatched?

 

[MsSBoston]

So where do the little ones go once hatched?

I have a partnership with a duck farm in another part of the state. The farmer comes to talk to them and it's a fantastic way to say goodbye! They hatch in a much larger scale than I, so they don't have much help with the smaller incubation that I'm doing.

 

[WVduckchick]

Turning is of utmost importance in the first 2-3 weeks. If it were me, and I couldn’t get into the school on weekends, I think I would use the turner for the first 2 weeks, thru the second weekend. Then on that next Monday, lay them down and begin hand turning. By then, the development should be good, the CAM should be well developed or at least by the end of the third week, while you hand turn. The third weekend won’t matter as much to miss turning by then. Plus that will also give the kids a week of hand turning. Just an option to consider.

Best of luck! I hope you will update us. I love teacher/classroom hatches!

 

[WVduckchick]

Oops, also meant to say Welcome!

 

[MsSBoston]

Turning is of utmost importance in the first 2-3 weeks. If it were me, and I couldn’t get into the school on weekends, I think I would use the turner for the first 2 weeks, thru the second weekend. Then on that next Monday, lay them down and begin hand turning. By then, the development should be good, the CAM should be well developed or at least by the end of the third week, while you hand turn. The third weekend won’t matter as much to miss turning by then. Plus that will also give the kids a week of hand turning. Just an option to consider.

Best of luck! I hope you will update us. I love teacher/classroom hatches!

Thanks! That's helpful advice! So you think that even though it would flip them vertically it should be okay? Are there any temperature concerns with the egg turners?

We had so much fun last year; it was the best part of the whole year!

 

[WVduckchick]

Thanks! That's helpful advice! So you think that even though it would flip them vertically it should be okay? Are there any temperature concerns with the egg turners?

We had so much fun last year; it was the best part of the whole year!

Laying them down after incubating upright won't bother them. (broody hens move eggs in every direction all the time) There could be a temperature variation, with the height of the turner, the eggs standing up vs. the eggs laying down. It wouldn't hurt to bump the temp up half a degree the day you lay them down. If you choose that route.

 

[MsSBoston]

Laying them down after incubating upright won't bother them. (broody hens move eggs in every direction all the time) There could be a temperature variation, with the height of the turner, the eggs standing up vs. the eggs laying down. It wouldn't hurt to bump the temp up half a degree the day you lay them down. If you choose that route.

Thanks so much! We'll keep you posted!