Eggs flipped over -- good or bad

[CynthiaM]

I am new to incubating eggs. I have hatched some in the incubator before, but want to get better at it. I have a big incubator that holds about 150 eggs, automatic turning.

I think I have been saving and getting the eggs ready for the incubator wrong. I read the post on care of eggs, and see I am wrong.

I have had my eggs in egg cartons, turning the carton over twice daily, upside down to downside up. I see that just a piece of wood rotated daily from end to end is sufficient.

My question. Because I have been flipping the egg carton over twice daily, will that cause bad effect on the eggs getting ready for incubation? Have a wonderful day, Cynthia

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I think you answered your own question....turning the eggs upside down is never a good idea...they are rotated from side to side or tilted....

 

[Julie08]

I agree upside down is bad. Tilting is apparently good, however I never do it and I get excellent hatches but I'm sure it could never hurt. Good Luck. I'm sure you know you shouldnt really store eggs longer then 7 days up til 10 is fine but hatch rate is really is affected after 7 days.

 

[ginasmarans]

Eggs are funny things. What works for one person,does not work for the next. I just tilt my eggs,but my uncle,who used to raise chickens,stored his in the bottom of his fridge in cartons and flipped them over once/day. You would think fresher the eggs the better, but most hens(especially game hens) will lay 15-25 eggs before setting and have good hatch rates. I think you are fine if you have not yet incubated the eggs,but if you want to be safe and just start tilting,that will be fine,too.

 

[CindyS]

I think it is a bad thing, I will tell you why. My dad has chickens and I asked him to save me some for hatching. I go to pick them up and he has every one upside down in the cartons! he said he forgot how to put them.

I figure I wouldnt risk wasting incubator space if these were damaged and told him to save me some more,(big end up of course) I hard boiled the upside down eggs, and when I took the shell off the air cell spot was on the side! so I think storing them upside down will ruin them!

 

[arlee453]

Flipping them can loosen the air cell, or cause it to float to the wrong end of the egg (should be in the large end)

You might just want to do a quick candle before you set them in the incubator and see if any have loose air cells - it should be right at the large end of the egg.

Good luck with your hatch!

 

[CynthiaM]

OK, good, thank you all for the response. It sounds like I have been doing it all wrong. Goes to show, one should study a little more before delving into stuff. These eggs have been turned over each day as I said. I will candle them to see where the air cell is before I set the in the incubator. I am living and learning....with luck, things will be OK. I do know that a week is about how long they should be gathered and saved before viability decreases. Beautiful day in this great life. Cynthia