auto turning vs. manual turning??

[noob]

which do you prefer?
which gives a higher hatch rate?

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

hand turn 3 doz, 2 hatched
91 auto-turn 80+ hatched

that's all i need to say

 

[canada-goose]

Automatic turners are easy, manual turning is tiresome.

 

[JScatt69]

I hand turned on my first hatch because my turner motor was broken then used the auto turner the (it turns 1x an hour) and seemed to have a higher hatch rate with the auto turner. With going to work and everthing else that goes on the auto turner was by far the easiest way

 

[Illia]

Automatic Turners, definitely.

I would hate to turn 50+ eggs a day, 3 times a day, for 18 days. . .

 

[Akane]

I've had the same hatch rates both ways and I've probably hatched just as many both ways. I suppose it depends how reliable and gentle you are at hand turning. Turners are convenient but far from necessary for most people. I have 3 incubators and 1 turner.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

chickens i prefer automatic. my geese and call ducks, I prefer automatic as long as its an incubator like the brinsea where the whole incubator turns, not the yellow hovabator turner, otherwise I hand turn those.

 

[Chicky Tocks]

Auto turner definately. My personal thoughts on this are the less you open the bator, the better your hatch will be.

 

[Akane]

I keep hearing people say it's better not to open the bator but I have never seen any proof. A hen gets off the nest daily and a broody hen has better air flow than an incubator. In my experience and opinion the eggs benefit greatly from having the incubator opened at least once a day and I often pop my incubator open for a few seconds a day to circulate all new air even with an autoturner.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

Auto turners are easier but I wouldn't use them with duck eggs. I hand turned duck eggs last year and had a 100% hatch rate. This year I got an auto turner and my hatch rate drop to 80%.