Does a broody stop turning eggs at day 18 ?

[panner123]

Quote:
Here it is as close as it can be given. A hen naturally turns the eggs every time she moves in the nest. The reason for stopping the turning in the bator is, most of us use an automatic turner, which can kill a chick if it is caught in the arms. One of the students tried a hatch without turning at all. He had a 65% hatch rate. No one had a hatch rate of over 75% this time. So do we need to turn the eggs at all is a much better question.

 

[pascopol]

Quote:
Here it is as close as it can be given. A hen naturally turns the eggs every time she moves in the nest. The reason for stopping the turning in the bator is, most of us use an automatic turner, which can kill a chick if it is caught in the arms. One of the students tried a hatch without turning at all. He had a 65% hatch rate. No one had a hatch rate of over 75% this time. So do we need to turn the eggs at all is a much better question.

Yes, I absolutely agree with you, but not everybody on this board has enough imagination and independent thinking , so like a parrots they repeat and defend a notion (without any proof or data) that we have to quit turning eggs 3 days before hatching to get best hatch.

Remember:

Commercial hatcheries move eggs from incubators to hatchers, so THEY HAVE TO MOVE THEM AT SOME POINT BEFORE DAY 21 (in chickens case).