Hand-turning eggs

triplepurpose

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While doing some research the other day on the importance of turning eggs and how different ways of turning them affect hatching and so on, I found this article: http://dev.biologists.org/content/develop/5/3/293.full.pdf

It describes an experiment wherein eggs turned only between the 4th and 7th days (inclusive) had hatch rates averaging roughly comparable to those wherein the eggs were turned until the 18th day. There could have been some problems with the results since the sample size wasn't huge, but it's still suggestive.

I thought this very interesting as it could have huge implications esp for a busy person hand turning eggs, say. If 4th thru 7th days are the most critical period, then it could be very practical to, for example, arrange to be available for more turnings on those days, or even not turn on other days at all if it were impractical.

To be clear, Im not advocating or suggesting anyone do this without more information. and I don't have personal experience with this myself; I have always turned eggs daily or used an autoturner.

But i found it intriguing, and wondered if anyone else on here more knowledgeable cared to chime in this or discuss...?
 
While doing some research the other day on the importance of turning eggs and how different ways of turning them affect hatching and so on, I found this article: http://dev.biologists.org/content/develop/5/3/293.full.pdf

It describes an experiment wherein eggs turned only between the 4th and 7th days (inclusive) had hatch rates averaging roughly comparable to those wherein the eggs were turned until the 18th day. There could have been some problems with the results since the sample size wasn't huge, but it's still suggestive.

I thought this very interesting as it could have huge implications esp for a busy person hand turning eggs, say. If 4th thru 7th days are the most critical period, then it could be very practical to, for example, arrange to be available for more turnings on those days, or even not turn on other days at all if it were impractical.

To be clear, Im not advocating or suggesting anyone do this without more information. and I don't have personal experience with this myself; I have always turned eggs daily or used an autoturner.

But i found it intriguing, and wondered if anyone else on here more knowledgeable cared to chime in this or discuss...?

I turn from day 1-13. After day 13 I stop.
 
Hmm. So...I'm assuming that works equally well as turning till day 18 for you then... But why stop at that point specifically? How did you come to that conclusion?

It's puzzling: if there is no benefit to turning before/after a certain point, then really, why are people still telling eachother to laboriously hand turn 50 eggs 5+ times a day? One would think that after several generations of collective electric incubation experience and research around the world there would be more agreement on these things...
 
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Hmm. So...I'm assuming that works equally well as turning till day 18 for you then... But why stop at that point specifically? How did you come to that conclusion?

It's puzzling: if there is no benefit to turning before/after a certain point, then really, why are people still telling eachother to laboriously hand turn 50 eggs 5+ times a day? One would think that after several generations of collective electric incubation experience and research around the world there would be more agreement on these things...

I only turn 3xs a day. Morning, noon and night. I also question the recommendation of turning eggs during storage too.
I decided to stop at day 13 because according to the Cobbs development chart for chickens it states that about day 14 is when they turn to the wide end of the egg. Around day 17 they position themselves head under wing beak up. So my logic says let them rest. I believe that a momma hen can feel this movement and probably sits tight while it's happening. I believe it may contribute to malpos. Of course, this is all my personal deductions/belief, no basis on scientific research, just an intuition. But I will say in the last year, I've only had 2 upside malpos, and that was my fault. I can also say I was pm'd by a member who was having hatching issues, one of which was a large amount of malpos. I explained my method and theory, made sure he knew it was a personal thought and gave him something to try. His next hatch he stopped turning for day 14. He reported he had a significant drop in malpos for that hatch, and it was absolutely the only thing he did differently. Could it have been a coincidence? Sure. But, since the eggs don't need to be turned that late and it seems to have only positive results with me, that's what I will do.
1f642.png


I also question the need for turning the first three days prior to development. I personally feel days 4-14 are the most important. Especially the early end of that.
 
Hi,
I turned my eggs twice a day .once in the morning once in the evening and they hatched fine. just a thought.
They were in n a cabinet incubator. In foam egg cartons.
Started out with all the eggs vertical in the cartons with large end up. 12 hours later, I laid each egg crosswise across the egg depression. Then 12 hours later vertical with large end up. Then 12 hours later crosswise across the egg depression on the opposite side. Then 12 hours later vertical with the large end up. Kept repeating this until 17th day when I took them from the cartons and laid them in their sides on the hardware cloth hatching tray. One of the chicks hatched day 20. Then 14 hatched on day 21 .So far 2 hatched on day 22. Still about 5 more unhatched.
Karen
 
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I only turn 3xs a day. Morning, noon and night. I also question the recommendation of turning eggs during storage too.
I decided to stop at day 13 because according to the Cobbs development chart for chickens it states that about day 14 is when they turn to the wide end of the egg. Around day 17 they position themselves head under wing beak up. So my logic says let them rest. I believe that a momma hen can feel this movement and probably sits tight while it's happening. I believe it may contribute to malpos. Of course, this is all my personal deductions/belief, no basis on scientific research, just an intuition. But I will say in the last year, I've only had 2 upside malpos, and that was my fault. I can also say I was pm'd by a member who was having hatching issues, one of which was a large amount of malpos. I explained my method and theory, made sure he knew it was a personal thought and gave him something to try. His next hatch he stopped turning for day 14. He reported he had a significant drop in malpos for that hatch, and it was absolutely the only thing he did differently. Could it have been a coincidence? Sure. But, since the eggs don't need to be turned that late and it seems to have only positive results with me, that's what I will do.
1f642.png


I also question the need for turning the first three days prior to development. I personally feel days 4-14 are the most important. Especially the early end of that.


That's very interesting! Thank you. :)
 
Hi,
I turned my eggs twice a day .once in the morning once in the evening and they hatched fine. just a thought.
They were in n a cabinet incubator. In foam egg cartons.
Started out with all the eggs vertical in the cartons with large end up. 12 hours later, I laid each egg crosswise across the egg depression. Then 12 hours later vertical with large end up. Then 12 hours later crosswise across the egg depression on the opposite side. Then 12 hours later vertical with the large end up. Kept repeating this until 17th day when I took them from the cartons and laid them in their sides on the hardware cloth hatching tray. One of the chicks hatched day 20. Then 14 hatched on day 21 .So far 2 hatched on day 22. Still about 5 more unhatched.
Karen


I like that method of turning! Seems like it would be simpler to manage than the old x and o approach.

I also read somewhere on here about some people who just roll the eggs around gently regularly instead of deliberately turning each one. It seems like this might result in the odd egg not getting rotated adequately/properly, but would be a bit simpler. Of course the hen doesn't rotate each one a precise angle or direction I assume--but hens also turn the eggs a lot more than 2 or 3 times a day. In that case the almost constant turning clearly makes up for any lack of precision in technique. so it seems a false equivalency to me (whether its still close enough to work tho is another thing)...

Biology is fascinating, isnt it...
 
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I have heard The first 3 days turning is not important, and not needed after the 12th. I am hatching with home made incubator, (not my first)
dawnacus 406.jpg
I am home so I turn 5 times or so. Currently on day 10.
 
I have heard The first 3 days turning is not important, and not needed after the 12th. I am hatching with home made incubator, (not my first)View attachment 1186656 I am home so I turn 5 times or so. Currently on day 10.
Omg- Omaha steaks cooler :lau wait till I tell my husband!! My parents sent us goodies from OS one Christmas and I was just as excited about that cooler as I was all the steaks!! :lol: I can't tell you how much use I got out of that thing!!! Too funny!!!!!
 

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