Aw crumby. Egg turner broke!

[4H kids and mom]

I noticed tonight that the eggs had not moved and realized the turner had stopped working. I don't know when. It may have been up to a full day that they were not turned.

I have another turner, and it works great, but its not been sanitized yet and its late. So, I turned the eggs carefully one full turn by hand (each egg) and washed the turner (not the motor! Just the racks of course!) with soap and warm water, rinsed with bleach water, then ran clean water over it and lastly sprayed it with ACV and I'm letting it sit over night. I plan to transplant the racks from the broken turner to the new one first thing in the morning. Would do it tonight, but kids and DH are sleepin, and I'm sleepy too so I worry I'd be wobbly and jar the eggs.

Ok, so couple questions:

How bad is it that they may have gone an entire day without being turned before I noticed the turner not working?

Did I ruin these eggs? Has the damage already been done?

If the other turner is working now, is it going to be safe, or even a good idea to remove the eggs from the one turner, and place them on the other that works? Or is it not even worth it? Should I just keep turning them by hand and risk a failed hatch?

The eggs looked great candled last night, nothing stuck to the sides or anything...so maybe its OK?

Temp is at steady 100.1 and humidity is at 47% and has been constant, with only very minor variations (like when I just HAVE to open the bator and candle one more egg...)

 

[BirdBrain]

Deep Breath. And another. You have been through SO much. First of all, what is going to happen, is going to happen. You are doing the very best you can. There are tons of stories of people screwing up royally and still getting a good hatch. You candled last night and things were good. Chances are they still are. Get a good nights sleep tonight (and I will too) and things will look better in the morning. When you are better rested, reset you eggs and set them to go. You are doing just great...can't wait to hear how it all turns out. Remember, you are testing out this incubator. Go to bed and I will too.

 

[jimnjay]

I can't say it enough remember the mama hen, the ultimate hatching machine. She gets off the nest ( in my case) once a day, dusts, drinks dusts somemore, suns herself, eats, poops and sometimes all this takes 15 minutes. Your eggs will be fine if you transfer them to the new turner. You can turn by hand if you want. If they are fertile and developing then failure to turn them for 24 hours is not going to ruin the whole batch. It of course is best to turn them regularly but it is not a deal breaker if missed a few times.

With all the abnormal stuff in the last few hatches I have had, I have really taken a different attitude. Really, Whatever will be will be. These wonderful little creatures are amazingly resilient. When they are meant to hatch I sometimes wonder how I could possibly think I have much to do with it other than providing some heat be it a hen or incubator.

Let us know how it goes, I bet all is just fine.

 

[4H kids and mom]

I transferred them all safely and slowly to the new turner. Took me a good 10 minutes or so, because I didnt want to jar them so I moved them quite slowly. All is well as of yet with the new turner. I hope it holds out the remaining 13 days left to turn!

Tonight is Day 5 so I may candle a few again just to check their progress in the last 2 days. I hear by Day 5 a deffinate black shape is visible, as well as the enlarging air sac, so I curious after all I've been through!

I can't wait to have some broodies to just put eggs under and let nature take its course. But right now I'm getting just 1 little pullet egg every other day. (sigh) They sure are cute though!

 

[silkiechicken]

Eh, no worries! Temp is more important than turning. A quick fry can spell the end while no turning for a week might cause a chick to stick to the shell. I've had chicks hatch out without turning on weekends. You're fine!