Incubating shipped plus own eggs

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Hi All, I’ve ordered a dozen shipped eggs. I want to combine with a half dozen of my own eggs for incubation in a Hovovator. I’ve only hatched my own or local eggs but know that shipped eggs are problematic. I was thinking that after allowing the shipped eggs to sit at room temp for 24 hr, I will put in the incubator at the same time as my eggs. I plan to put all developing eggs under broody at day 18 for her to raise and integrate, so I want all hatching at the same time. I’ve read that shipped eggs should sit upright in incubator for one week in cut down cardboard carton without turning for a week, then gentle side to side turning after that. I can leave my turner (hovovator brand) out and hand turn twice a day. Should I treat my own eggs the same way or do something different with them? Thanks for any help!

 

[LynnaePB]

I would think your local eggs would do alright being hand turned so you could have the shipped eggs sitting upright in the cartons for the first week. Personally I'd base how long you leave the shipped eggs unturned on how the air cells look.

I'm trying to figure out what methods work best for shipped eggs for myself right now, it's been a little frustrating since there are a lot of variables. I had the best development but the worst hatch from eggs I incubated without turning for the first 5 days. I can't know for sure that it was the not turning that affected the hatch rate but those eggs developed the blood vessel network a lot more on one side compared to eggs I started turning earlier which hatched out a lot better from two different sources. I hope your eggs arrive in good shape, good luck with your first shipped eggs!

 

[Knighstar679]

I leave the eggs in the incubator unturned for 24-48 hours unless the air cells look really bad.

My eggs I have recently been incubating didn’t vein around the whole egg. This may have had to do with an upright turner. I am hoping to fix that in my new incubator.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks Lynnae and Knighstar for the information. I’ve just been watching my Hovo bator turner and am noting that it’s slow, gentle, and keeps the eggs pretty upright, taking them to no more than a 45 degree angle. Maybe my question should be whether I should just turn all eggs (including the shipped eggs) normally after letting them sit at room temp for 24 hr? Or should it depend upon whether air cells appear detached after the 24 hr rest? Shipped eggs are black copper marans, not sure that I will get a fantastic look at air cells with my standard LED candler...

 

[Knighstar679]

I always judge the turning start by the air cell. If they are super stable I start turning, if they have wobble I will hold off. I have a really powerful flashlight but I have never worked with that type of egg so I can’t give advice on that.

 

[LynnaePB]

Hmmm with BCM eggs being so hard to see into I'd probably put all the eggs in the turners with the turner off for the first 2 days of incubation. Not turning for the first few days (2-3) could help the shipped eggs get a better start and shouldn't hurt your local eggs.

 

[Mixed flock enthusiast]

Thanks so much to both of you for sharing your experience! I’ll candle as best I can, but if I can’t see the air cell well, I’ll hold off on turning all for the first few days of incubation. Thanks again!