How to turn/angle eggs?

[Rooster2410]

I have a brinsea incubator that can rest flat, or be turned to the left or right. When I turn my eggs am I supposed to be turning it, left, middle, right,
Middle, left etc, or should it be left, right, left, right etc?

 

[MGG]

Does your incubator auto turn? What Brinsea model is it? Can you post a pic of it? When I have to manually turn with just a few eggs, I write x on one side and o on the opposite side. I turn right to o, and then a few hours later left to x, but it really doesn't matter at all, as long as they don't rest on the same side each night, and they are "moved" at least 3 times a day. When I do big hatches in my one incubator that I have to manually turn, I just place my palms on the eggs and gently roll in circles. Then I make sure the pointy ends are all tipped down, and then I'm done.

 

[Rooster2410]

It is this one here, it is manual turn. You can see that it's an octagon shape. I've been going left, middle, right, middle left etc. Then I read something about 90 degrees or something and wondered if I should skip the middle and just do the left and right leaning.

Okay, so it doesn't matter if I lean it to the left, then later allow them to be in the middle (up position) and then to the right? So long as they're moved about at least three times a day?

 

[MGG]

It is this one here, it is manual turn. You can see that it's an octagon shape. I've been going left, middle, right, middle left etc. Then I read something about 90 degrees or something and wondered if I should skip the middle and just do the left and right leaning.

Okay, so it doesn't matter if I lean it to the left, then later allow them to be in the middle (up position) and then to the right? So long as they're moved about at least three times a day?

Yep. Just make sure they don't sit on the same side for several nights in a row. There was also an interesting study done that proves that there are no detrimental effects on the hatch if you stop turning after the first week. I continue it just because I don't like switching everything over, lol. Good luck!

 

[Rooster2410]

Thanks! I am glad to hear that.
Interesting side note. My mother in law actually used my incubator a couple months ago. I told her how to use it from what I knew, 99 degrees, humidity 40-50%ish and rotate at least three times a day... I think she refilled the water reservoir once, and didn't even have a humidifier so didn't know humidity period, forgot to rotate them for entire days, not sure if she even payed attention to the temperature, but they allegedly all hatched. I think she did about 10 and said every one of them hatched. I chalk it up to dumb luck lol.

I had read somewhere, wish I had the source on hand, but it said that temps can be as low as about 88, although hatch rate would be lower... Is that accurate? Mines been stable at 99 but drops to 97 at night, so if it's possible they could technically hatch at 88, it'll alleviate some of my worrying.

 

[MGG]

Thanks! I am glad to hear that.
Interesting side note. My mother in law actually used my incubator a couple months ago. I told her how to use it from what I knew, 99 degrees, humidity 40-50%ish and rotate at least three times a day... I think she refilled the water reservoir once, and didn't even have a humidifier so didn't know humidity period, forgot to rotate them for entire days, not sure if she even payed attention to the temperature, but they allegedly all hatched. I think she did about 10 and said every one of them hatched. I chalk it up to dumb luck lol.

I had read somewhere, wish I had the source on hand, but it said that temps can be as low as about 88, although hatch rate would be lower... Is that accurate? Mines been stable at 99 but drops to 97 at night, so if it's possible they could technically hatch at 88, it'll alleviate some of my worrying.

If you incubate at 88 for any period of time they will grow deformities, because the temp is high enough for development technically, but not for real growth. I would wrap a blanket around the incubator to prevent fluctuations, or move it to a different room. That's funny some hatched. Eggs are pretty resilient. It amazes me that eggs can be shipped across the country and still hatch.

 

[RcoM]

Thanks! I am glad to hear that.
Interesting side note. My mother in law actually used my incubator a couple months ago. I told her how to use it from what I knew, 99 degrees, humidity 40-50%ish and rotate at least three times a day... I think she refilled the water reservoir once, and didn't even have a humidifier so didn't know humidity period, forgot to rotate them for entire days, not sure if she even payed attention to the temperature, but they allegedly all hatched. I think she did about 10 and said every one of them hatched. I chalk it up to dumb luck lol.

I had read somewhere, wish I had the source on hand, but it said that temps can be as low as about 88, although hatch rate would be lower... Is that accurate? Mines been stable at 99 but drops to 97 at night, so if it's possible they could technically hatch at 88, it'll alleviate some of my worrying.

Sometimes, not worrying about humidity can be your best friend. Until the end. I live in a country which is fairly humid in the air ambient air temperature. It's basically around 45%. humidity all the time. so I switched to dry hatching methods because I was getting a lot of fully formed Chicks who weren't turning in the egg and hatching properly. It seems to have fixed the problem. I have better air cell growth etc. I'm about to use this method again and see how it works out a second time

 

[RcoM]

Sometimes, not worrying about humidity can be your best friend. Until the end. I live in a country which is fairly humid in the air ambient air temperature. It's basically around 45%. humidity all the time. so I switched to dry hatching methods because I was getting a lot of fully formed Chicks who weren't turning in the egg and hatching properly. It seems to have fixed the problem. I have better air cell growth etc. I'm about to use this method again and see how it works out a second time

Basically what I think we need is not a general guide but a right fit in regards to your country or area in which you live. Check ambient room conditions in surrounding air before you set up your incubator and take it into account