Hand turning or auto turner?

[PrinceSandwich]

I know people say hand turning is better for waterfowl eggs, but is there a big differance in the hatch rate between hand turning and auto turning?

 

[KansasKid]

I can't give advice from personal experience but it seems like every time i read a thread on here that has to do with hatching success the greater percentage is with hand turning. Hand turning allows the egg to lay on its side in a normal position and the eggs get fully turned unlike a turner that just tilts side to side.

 

[kstaven]

My personal experience is that there is no difference.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I have a roll turner in my current incubator, I would not have bought a model that did not tun eggs in this way. With the last incubator I hand turned them as I did find a better hatch rate when the eggs lay on their sides.

Very generally speaking- as I havent kept exact records- but I got around 80 % hatchrate in a turner as apposed to 90 % hatchrate when the eggs are hand turned or rolled by the current turner I have in my incubator.

 

[critterranch]

what brand is your rolling tuner? how many times a day you hand turn?

 

[duckfat]

Commercial hatcheries for pekin ducks use auto-turners. The hatch rates are excellent.

 

[duckyfromoz]

This is what I am currently using for my duck eggs. The brand is IM .

Since buying this machine I have averaged a 95% hatchrate. The setting I use is for the eggs to be rolled every four hours.

http://www.incubatorsandmore.com.au/im web/35A.htm

When hand turning in the last incubator I turned them 3 times a day.