Egg Turner

[Madie'sOddFlock]

So this is my first time incubating and I think I've already screwed up in the first 8 days. We had these chickens that we got for free from a family who's downsizing. Well, as I collected eggs I put them in the incubator. So I now have eggs from the 14th-20th that will all be hatching on different days, obviously. Everything up to the 17th or 18th is showing signs of development. But of course today it just dawned on me that you're supposed to remove the egg turner on day 18... but I have 7 different day 18s all in a row... help.

 

[Rose Quartz]

uhhh... I would take out the turner and turn the younger ones by hand for day 18, 19 and if no one has pipped even day 20. as soon as you see your first external pip stop opening the incubator and get the humidity where it needs to be.

 

[oregonkat]

Your other eggs will be fine without turning. The turning is really most important in the first 7 - 14 days. You will be better off not opening the incubator constantly to maintain a high humidity for the hatchers.

 

[Madie'sOddFlock]

Your other eggs will be fine without turning. The turning is really most important in the first 7 - 14 days. You will be better off not opening the incubator constantly to maintain a high humidity for the hatchers.

The other thing about that is will the high humidity cause problems for the younger eggs?

 

[oregonkat]

The difference in the eggs is across 6 days right? There is nothing to be done at this point other than to raise the humidity but keep it at about 60% if possible. The others should be OK if their air cells are looking good!

 

[Rose Quartz]

Shes only 1 week in at the moment for the oldest eggs. So shes got so.e time to come up with a plan. I would leave the humidity low into lockdown until there is chirping or external pips. That is because of my local humidity. Since shes in Maine i would say keep that humidity down. The youngest eggs are going to need the low humidity as long as they can get it.