Egg turning while incubating.

[Dan2005]

Hello again,

I was just thinking...what if I won't be home enough to turn the eggs three time a day ?

I know my grandparents are coming over soon and there will be probably around two days when I might be able to turn them only once at most twice....is that all right ?

Or should I maybe just use the manual turner for the days I'm not there ?

 

[FunClucks]

Hello again,

I was just thinking...what if I won't be home enough to turn the eggs three time a day ?

I know my grandparents are coming over soon and there will be probably around two days when I might be able to turn them only once at most twice....is that all right ?

Or should I maybe just use the manual turner for the days I'm not there ?

Should be fine. Just do what you can. You turn when you get up, go to bed, and get home from work, or dinner, about 2-4 hrs before you go to bed. If you get up in the night to go to the bathroom, turn the eggs. If you wake up, and it takes you 2 hrs to get out of the house for work, turn when you wake up, and then right before you leave. There's a lot of flexibility here. I've done most of these combinations for some part of any number of hatches, and they were all fine.

You can also put the auto-turner back in for a bit, and take it out again. No more than 30 minutes out-time (time not in the incubator) per day should be fine. The hens take at least one 30 minute break per day, so I figured a few 30 minute durations where I was turning eggs would be fine. No issues so far.

 

[Dan2005]

Yeah ok, thanks for the help!!

Below is a group of Seramas I had about 4 years ago. Thought I might share some photos

I just can't wait for some new ones

 

[Ridgerunner]

I know my grandparents are coming over soon and there will be probably around two days when I might be able to turn them only once at most twice....is that all right ?

It is better than not turning them at all. You will get some benefits turning them once or twice a day.

Or should I maybe just use the manual turner for the days I'm not there ?

I don't really trust the automatic turner in my incubator.

Why don't you trust it? Do you have reason to think it doesn't turn or are the cups the wrong size?

 

[Dan2005]

Why don't you trust it? Do you have reason to think it doesn't turn or are the cups the wrong size?

I've got a very simple incubator from Amazon and it has a small "tray" and a poker from in the top of the lid is inserted through a hole in that "tray" and turns...thus pulling the tray and the eggs in it along.

Not sure if that explains it sufficiently.

I'm just not sure if it has done a good job in the past and wanted to try manual with this batch just to test it.

 

[Debbie292d]

It is better than not turning them at all. You will get some benefits turning them once or twice a day.

Exactly! They'll be fine!

 

[ddd444jjj]

3 times a day is plenty. I've had great success with even turning twice daily due to my work schedule.

 

[ddd444jjj]

Humidity is very important when hatching seramas and other true bantams. I fill the whole bottom of my incubator with water during lockdown and try to maintain 65% for the first 15 days. I always put them in lockdown on day 15. They usually hatch in 18 or 19 days.

 

[Dan2005]

Humidity is very important when hatching seramas and other true bantams. I fill the whole bottom of my incubator with water during lockdown and try to maintain 65% for the first 15 days. I always put them in lockdown on day 15. They usually hatch in 18 or 19 days.

Yes. That is the experience I had with my last group. All hatched very early.

I have some great news though.
My cousin has just offered me to use his Brinsea fully automatic and trustworthy incubator.

It definitely helps to have a cousin who is also chicken crazy

Thank you all so much for your help though!!!

And I will keep you posted when the eggs/chicks arrive.