Automatic turning Vs. Hand turning.....

[chicken_neighbour]

Which is better?? How often would I have to turn the eggs if I didnt get an automatic turning one? I am slightly hooked thanks to my neighbours attempt at hatching a clutch although sadly it didnt work out and non hatched

and so am looking at getting my own small bator. Maybe the R-com mini egg incubator or the Brinsea Mini eco. I dont want to spend lots on one and only want to hatch a small clutch so both of these bators are deffo big enough for me.

Another question is what do you guys do with your cockrels??

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

You will want turn an odd number of times each day so the eggs don't rest on the side angle/side any two nights in a row. So you would want 3 or 5 turns a day. When we hand turn the eggs are pointy end down, then angled 45 degrees back and forth with each turn. We also spin them a quarter turn. Peafowl eggs are the only ones we currently hand turn. Everything else runs on auto turners.

 

[chicken_neighbour]

Quote:
Ok you totally lost me there lol I am planning on getting a book out of the library to help me understand how to incubate eggs etc

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

Say you have a doz eggs to incubate.

They should be loaded pointy end down (I use eggs cartons to incubate)

Then you need to turn them 3-5 times a day (odd numbers work best)

Turning doesn't involved flipping them over (pointy end down/pointy end up) but changing the angle at which the eggs are sitting. 45 to the left (front) then 45 to the right (back). The direction depends on your set up. Mine rock front to back, where others move side to side.

Some will also add in spinning the eggs a quarter turn as well either always going clockwise or counter clockwise.

I will go set some up and take pics to show you if it would help. Not incubating, but can show the motions I am referring to.

Shellie

 

[chicken_neighbour]

Thanks but from that I think I will pay the little bit extra and get an auto one!!

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

They make life soooo much easier.

 

[Time-Out]

I much prefer to hand turn, I think it also lets fresh air into the incubator and I'd be able to smell anything suspicious. Mine all lay on their side. I put an X on one side and a 0 on the other, then just roll them like so:



And here is my post-it to remind me which way to turn them:


I turn them 5 times a day. 8am, 11:30, 15:00, 18:30 and 22:00. I often wake up in the night, so they get a bonus turn then too.

 

[coltssuperbowl83]

i'm glad i read this because this is my first time hand turning and they are only on day 2 but i have been flipping them over from side x to side - 3 times a day. Will it hurt them if i do it this way or should i just rotate (spin) them 45 degrees 3 times a day?

 

[Oregon Blues]

Automatic turners are very convenient. No worries about forgetting to turn them or not being able to be home.

Duck eggs are supposed to do much better if they are hand turned and incubated on their sides.

 

[Cattitude]

Roll them on their sides so that the X is on top the first time you turn, the O is on top next time, the X is on top the next time, etc. Someone on the forum once suggested setting two bowls beside your incubator and put marbles in one. Every time you turn, take a marble and put it into the "empty" receiving bowl. At bedtime you can count the marbles you transferred and make sure you turned the eggs an odd number of times. Then put all the marbles back into the starting bowl and go to sleep. Wake in the morning, rinse, repeat. It's much harder to explain than to do!