Leaving eggs for a couple of days

[mpghm]

I'm incubating Muscovy eggs in a home made incubate, they are on day 12. I've candled a few and they showed veins with a small black shape in the middle. They eggs are on their side, and I'm turning 2 or 3 times a day as my schedule allows.

In a week (so around day 20) I will need to be away for a couple of days, with nobody around to turn the eggs. How bad is this? Should I leave the eggs on their side, or prop upright with air pocket at top?

 

[Amykins]

Do NOT prop them upright. If you had an automatic turner there wouldn't be a problem, but this, I just dunno...they still have at least a week to go by day 20, so frankly, I don't like the idea of leaving them alone for 48 hours. Anything could happen. You can't get a friend or neighbor to come and turn 'em?

 

[Orca5094]

It's definitely not desirable to go a couple days without turning them, the embryos can become stuck to the side of the shell and die. :/ I'm with Amykins, can you not ask a friend or neighbor to come by and turn them for you? It's quite important during the incubation process to do that. They MIGHT be ok, but I don't think it's worth the risk.

 

[mpghm]

Quote:
I'm OK with slightly reduced hatch rate. Any idea if it could be more serious (e.g. 50% reduction or more)?

 

[Amykins]

I'm OK with slightly reduced hatch rate. Any idea if it could be more serious (e.g. 50% reduction or more)?

Frankly I've never met anyone okay with the thought of dead ducklings, but I just don't understand why there isn't anyone to come and turn the eggs for you while you're away.