Hand turning eggs

[Lin & Hailey]

I'm thinking of incubating some eggs, instead of buying chicks. The eggs will be shiped so I would want them to be with the air cell up while turning.
But my turner works with eggs on there side (they roll from left to right and back). So I would have to hand turn the eggs unless they all are oké after being send to me.
I'm home most of the day, so I could turn them every hour or so for most of the day, but not for all of the day.
What is more important turning often or turning on set times. I would make sure that they are on a uneven turn for the last turn of the day so they "sleep" on the other "side" each night.

Would love to hear your opinions.

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Some automatic turners can be set for like an hour or even 30 minutes I think until the next turn, so I would say the more the merrier? I've also heard of people turning them only twice a day and was still successful.

 

[Silkies rule Forever]

 

[annampet]

I'm no expert but I used an old school incubator for my current flock. I hand turned 12 eggs and 11 hatched! First hatcher luck I'm sure. I turned 3-4 times per day depending on if I was home or not. I always made sure that the egg spent the night on a side that it wasn't on the previous night and wrote and X on one side and an O on the opposite side so I could tell the difference.

 

[Sara L]

At least 2 times per day for better results, and as you mentioned an odd number of times is better if they are not going to be turned during the night. I think it will depend on how the air cells look when you get your eggs after being mailed.
I also recommend having an incubation journal, and write down the time, incubator temp, and humidity (if you have a hygrometer) each time you turn the eggs.

 

[Lin & Hailey]

I do have a hygrometer. Keeping an incubation journal sounds like a good idea. Even if I don't have to hand turn, it will be a good addition to my hatch.

I hope the air cells are fine, but i've read (on some fora) that the mail gets tost a lot around here so I want to be prepaired should I choose to incubate instead of buying chicks.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

What are you planning to use to position them vertically? Also, have you considered what you'll do with the cockerels that hatch? I'm not sure how many eggs you would be incubating, but planning on them being at least 50% male is a good starting point. Of course, buying chicks can be a gamble too! Just something to think about if you haven't already!

 

[Lin & Hailey]

I was thinking about using eggkartons, silkie bantam eggs arent that big so it should work. But other idea's are allways welkom.

I did think about all the cockerels I will get, with my luck it will mostley be cockerels.
If I would buy them, there are a couple of breeders that have them cloaca sexed, but you'll still have a 15 - 20 % chance of cockerels. Altough most of them will take back any cockerels.
If I incubate them, I will sell/ give away most of the cockerels. Or have someone butcher them for me if no body is interested.