Advise needed

[MrsKluck]

I am a newbie at the chicken biz. I just purchased a little giant forced air incubator, have access to fertilized eggs, and am ready and prepped to start incubating.
I do not have an automatic turner. I am semi-retired, only working 10 days a month, but the days I am at work, would the embryos/chicks be harmed if i turned them just before leaving for my eight hours shift, and then again as soon as I got home? I know the advise is at least 3-4 times a day, and that some people turn theirs every 2 hours. This will not be a problem for me on off days, but what do you think about the days where I will be gone 9 hours during the day? Do you think they will survive? Appreciate any advise you can give. (BTW...the real Mrs. Kluck was my kindergarten teacher 58 years ago! I never forgot her. The classroom was filled with chicken pictures....statues..and books)
Christa

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I am a newbie at the chicken biz. I just purchased a little giant forced air incubator, have access to fertilized eggs, and am ready and prepped to start incubating.
I do not have an automatic turner. I am semi-retired, only working 10 days a month, but the days I am at work, would the embryos/chicks be harmed if i turned them just before leaving for my eight hours shift, and then again as soon as I got home? I know the advise is at least 3-4 times a day, and that some people turn theirs every 2 hours. This will not be a problem for me on off days, but what do you think about the days where I will be gone 9 hours during the day? Do you think they will survive? Appreciate any advise you can give. (BTW...the real Mrs. Kluck was my kindergarten teacher 58 years ago! I never forgot her. The classroom was filled with chicken pictures....statues..and books)
Christa

It all depends on how viable the eggs are. If they are fresh eggs with strong embryos then there is little likely hood that the embryos will stick to the inside of the membranes in that short of a time. It might help to turn out the overhead light before you leave for work.

 

[dekel18042]

I am a newbie at the chicken biz. I just purchased a little giant forced air incubator, have access to fertilized eggs, and am ready and prepped to start incubating.
I do not have an automatic turner. I am semi-retired, only working 10 days a month, but the days I am at work, would the embryos/chicks be harmed if i turned them just before leaving for my eight hours shift, and then again as soon as I got home? I know the advise is at least 3-4 times a day, and that some people turn theirs every 2 hours. This will not be a problem for me on off days, but what do you think about the days where I will be gone 9 hours during the day? Do you think they will survive? Appreciate any advise you can give. (BTW...the real Mrs. Kluck was my kindergarten teacher 58 years ago! I never forgot her. The classroom was filled with chicken pictures....statues..and books)
Christa

You should be fine. My incubator turns automatically, but I have hatched with a broody and know other people who have too and I swear some of them barely leave their eggs once a day, so you shouldn't have a problem. Good luck.

 

[MrsKluck]

The eggs are fresh, so I'll keep my fingers crossed, and give it a good klucking try! By overhead light, do you mean to keep them in a darkened room? I'm not sure what you mean. I am hatching these in my house. And thanks for responding so quickly.

 

[MrsKluck]

Your reply was encouraging!. Thanks a bunch!

 

[Hholly]

Good luck! Can't wait to see what you hatch out. Welcome to the forum!

 

[MrsKluck]

They are officially 'bating! I'M sure I'll be back with more questions. And I'll make sure I post with my results! I'm excited!

 

[jas humbert]

I hatched in the spring and turned my eggs 3, sometimes 4, times as day and yes there were more days than not that I went to work and did not turn the eggs for 8 or 10 hours. I got shipped eggs and still hatched 14 out of 17. My friend, an older man who has raised chicken all his life insists I shouldn't have turned them more than twice a day. So I expect you'll be fine. Happy hatching.

 

[MrsKluck]

Wonderful! That's real encouraging. My eggs are from the backyard chickens across the street! I know they are fertilized, so we'll just wait and see. My grandkids are quite excited about my latest adventure here!. Hope its sucessfull! ( for the kids sake of course!)

 

[Egghead_Jr]

The more you turn them the better off you are. For years I hand turned. Noticed as time went by my hatch rate kept going down. It was due to complacency, finally broke down and got an auto turner and had my first 100% hatch. So the first year I was 80% turning a lot. Over the years it went down to 60%. Missing a day here and there from turning 3 and 4 times a day wont do much harm at all. It's when hatching is old hat and we get lazy about hand turning that you really notice it.