Day 18...autoturner never worked.

[Jen Cude]

I am so sad.... Put my 4 orpington eggs in the incubator and on day 18 I went to remove them from the turner for lockdown and discovered the turner was not plugged in. They were stored big end up all that time. I have candled them in the first and second weeks and each time all 4 were moving energetically, but now this. What can I expect from them now?

 

[beetandsteet]

If they were still alive in the second week, that is a good sign. Don't trash the eggs yet! The main reason why eggs are turned is to prevent the embryo from sticking to the wall of the egg in the early stages of incubation. In fact, some people even quit turning eggs at day 14 (I do not do this; I wait until day 17-18). You probably will not have as good a hatch rate as you would otherwise. Did you candle the eggs when they went into lockdown? Were they still moving? You may want to add "check turner" as a part of your incubation checklist in the future

Please update us with the results of your hatch! Hope you have a 4/4 hatch!!!!!!

 

[Jen Cude]

My husband said the same thing about the checklist! I will definitely do that next time. I did not candle them at lockdown because I have never seen chicks that far along move in the egg...too crowded. Thanks for the encouragement. They are due tomorrow...im checking constantly for the first pip!

 

[beetandsteet]

How did the hatch go Jen???