Guineafowl Incubating

[MyCozyCritters]

I have 12 eggs in my incubator and today is the 23rd day in. I read somewhere that you should stop letting them turn on the 23rd and just let them lie on their sides until they hatch.
Is this true?

 

[casportpony]

I think @R2elk knows a lot about guinea fowl.

 

[R2elk]

I have 12 eggs in my incubator and today is the 23rd day in. I read somewhere that you should stop letting them turn on the 23rd and just let them lie on their sides until they hatch.
Is this true?

Guinea eggs under perfect conditions can hatch anywhere from day 26 thru day 28. I have had a rare one hatch on day 25. I put my guinea eggs in lockdown on day 25 and usually have some hatching on day 26, the most on day 27 and a few on day 28.

@PeepsCA who was the guinea expert, Used an incubator and a hatcher. She only moved her eggs from the incubator to the hatcher when she could see that the egg was internally pipped.

It is not critical when you go to lockdown conditions. The keets are well enough formed that not turning them during their last week will not harm them because they are moving well enough on their own.

If it makes you feel better to go to lockdown conditions on day 23, do it, it won't hurt anything. If you prefer to go to lockdown conditions on day 25 like I do, that will also be fine.

 

[R2elk]

I think @R2elk knows a lot about guinea fowl.

I like to think I know a lot about guineas. But the more you deal with them, the more you realize that there is even more to learn. Their color genetics has been so poorly researched that it is impossible to know for sure just what is going on.