How important is turning eggs day 8-15?

[Chicksnmind]

My broody just decided she doesn’t want to be broody. She’s was on day 2 1/2 and she’s been off the nest for 5 hrs. She has looked at the eggs several times and then walked away. Leaving behind half the eggs that I bought off eBay. The other half is in the incubator.

So I put 3 of the nest eggs in the incubator outside of the Turner . I will turn until day 8 then I have to go out of town for a week. The other eggs are in the Turner. If I take the Turner out I can fit the rest of the eggs from the nest in the incubator and just manually turn them all until day 8.

What should I do? Or is it too late already since broody was off for so long? The temperature was right around 60-65 this morning.

 

[Chicksnmind]

Well good news. I open up the section that my silkie was separated from the group and put the last 7eggs and nest box back in the coop. I went and checked and she is back sitting on the eggs. I’m not sure since she was off so long that they will hatch. She still looks very alert and not in the dazed broody zone so I’m not sure how it’s going to go.

I’m still interested in the question above though since there are several eggs that won’t be turned in my incubator while Im gone and in case she does leave the nest for good.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Turning is KEY through day 15. After that not as much. It keeps the embryo from sticking to the shell and put it into fresh nutrients.

You can try though!

 

[Chicksnmind]

Well I spoke too soon and my hen is again back off the nest. Eggs are cool. I don’t think there is any hope for them. I left them just in case.

I am crossing my fingers for the ones in the incubator. 9 in the egg turner , 3 that I added when I found the nest abandoned this morning.

Plus 3 extras on the sides from my bantams. So basically 6 that won’t be turned while I’m out of town.