Confused on when to stop turning eggs

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree

 

[RubyNala97]

I like this site.

Excellent link, thank you!
You can print it out and keep track for every hatch you do.

http://homesteadapps.com/app/free/hatchchart/hatchturnscheentry.php

 

[Oreo quail]

Why do we stop turning eggs? Is it bad for the chicks or just no longer necessary to turn them longer?

 

[cmom]

Why do we stop turning eggs? Is it bad for the chicks or just no longer necessary to turn them longer?

I had marked the wrong date on my calendar before and have had chicks hatch in the incubator. When you do set the eggs for hatching you will notice the eggs wiggling. This is the chick turning in the shell which is important to keep the humidity up so the chicks don't get stuck. They will pip the internal air sac before they start to pip the shell, then they will zip (they move in the shell and work their way around the shell and ((zip)) until it comes loose enough where they can push themselves out). I think it is easier for the chicks to move around in their shells when they are taken out of the turner the last 2 or 3 days.

 

[BaileyMChicks]

Why do we stop turning eggs? Is it bad for the chicks or just no longer necessary to turn them longer?

I'm pretty sure it's because the chicks can't(or at least have a hard time) turning to get into position to hatch if you turn after 18 days. That's just what I read. I've read you can stop turning at day 14-15 if you really have too. You don't really technically have to turn after day 14-15, but I would. I had an egg that I put in 2 days later than the rest last hatch, and stopped turning him at day 16, and he hatched fine. But I would prefer to turn them til day 18. But that's just me. I wouldn't turn any more after day 18 though. But again, that's just my opinion.

 

[Oreo quail]

I had quail (17d incubation) hatch at a poorer rate than expected 30/59, when 42 candled well. They arrived on a hot 95* day and I think they incubated in the mail. Yhey turned until day 15 which was really day 16 based on when they hatched. Also the new chicks moved all the eggs around further which may have affected hatching. I will probably try to stop turning as early as possible. I can also remove noncandling eggs to decrease the bumping going on after the first oness hatch.

 

[RubyNala97]

I had quail (17d incubation) hatch at a poorer rate than expected 30/59, when 42 candled well. They arrived on a hot 95* day and I think they incubated in the mail. Yhey turned until day 15 which was really day 16 based on when they hatched. Also the new chicks moved all the eggs around further which may have affected hatching. I will probably try to stop turning as early as possible. I can also remove noncandling eggs to decrease the bumping going on after the first oness hatch.

Actually for shipped eggs your hatch was not that bad. With shipped a 50% hatch rate is considered very good. When I hatch shipped I stop turning a few days earlier then the norm to give them an extra couple days to get into position. When the eggs arrived and you unpacked them did you candle and check on how much damage was done to the air cells? Also, I really hate when my eggs get knocked around by the chicks that have already hatched. I like to be able to see the pips and monitor their progress which is hard to do if they are spun around. I have the brooder pre-heated and on the warm side, around 100 degrees and I remove chicks as they hatch. I don't do this with every hatch but definitely with my shipped eggs and important hatches. I make sure there are no drafts on the brooder.

 

[cmom]

Quote:
I agree, for shipped eggs I think you had a good hatch as well.

 

[FrankFamilyFarm]

How often should you turn the eggs? I'm new at this

 

[BaileyMChicks]

How often should you turn the eggs? I'm new at this

Since I don't have an automatic turner in my incubator, I turn by hand. I try to turn them about 5 times a day when they are young yet(early stages of development). But as they get closer to lockdown I stop worrying about it so much, and only turn about 3 times a day(I stop turning as much at around day 14-16). And always turn an odd number of times. I don't really have the best explanation(or remember the explanation that I read), so I hope someone can tell you why, but just trust me on this. And I don't have a set time for when I turn them. It's more of a 'turn them when I get up in the morning, turn them at around 9:30-10:30, turn between 12:30-2:00, turn at supper time, and turn before I go to bed'. And then the turning process repeats in the morning. I hope this helped.