No automatic turner... what is the best way

[harleyjo]

I am on my first hatch with a still air, no turner. Is it better laying them on the bottom and turning them or putting them in egg cartons and moving the whole bator from side to side? I feel like I am constantly baby sitting this bator. Maybe someday I can upgrade this a little.

 

[Shannon33]

I have the same thing. I have only done one hatch but I just laid them on the bottom. I marked one side X and one side O so I could keep track of my turns. Turned 3 times a day until the lockdown, I had no problems, they all hatched.

 

[rustic roost]

I have done both ways in a still air incubator. I think as long as you mark them with a pencil and turn them 3 -5 times a day they will be fine. if you use an egg carton make sure you are leaving them at an angle not flipping them top to bottom. Place them big side up and have them all angle one way then angle them the opposite way to "turn" them. the nice thing about the egg carton idea is when it comes time to lockdown, you just set them big side up and the chicks zip the shell and pop out the top. it's really easy cleanup too!

 

[harleyjo]

I have them laying down in there now but when I go to lockdown I think I will put them in the cartons.

 

[Opa]

I would suggest that rather than opening the incubator to turn eggs you turn the incubator. The eggs are placed in egg cartons to prevent them from rolling. Place something under one side of the incubator to raise it about 3". When time to turn remove block and place under opposite side. Same effect as a turner.

 

[harleyjo]

Does that do the same thing as a turner?


Quote:

 

[cmom]

I agree with the other posts. When I have hand turned the eggs I put an X on one side and an O on the other and always rotate them in the same direction, that way you can keep track of what eggs you have turned.

 

[Opa]

Quote:

A turner tilts the eggs from one side to the other. By raising first one side and then the other you are doing the exact same thing.

 

[harleyjo]

That would make sense then to do that because you don't lose your heat and humidity in the bator then. Thanks!