OK, I wasn't to concerned about hatching eggs, (I've a fair amount of experience with the birthing process of animals) HOWEVER, after reading the "intervention thread" I must say I am a bit freaked!! One of the points I came away with is the importance of keeping the humidity at proper levels and how every time you open the banter you lose heat and humidity. Well I am getting, what I think is a homemade banter from a local chicken farm. Now I don't know but I was assuming it wouldn't have an automatic turner. (these guys are very old school) Not a problem (or so I thought before reading that thread, lol) I'd just turn them by hand. Now I am thinking that is not a good idea. I should probably be looking into getting a egg turner. So the question (finally) is the success rate significantly higher with the auto turners? What has been your experience?
Set it and Forget it! I just peek in to check temps and fill water every couple days and candle at 8, 14, and 18 days. I've got the Little Giant Forced Air...styrofoam. There are vents in the top with red plugs you can pull out to adjust humidity with...or even insert a tub/funnel into to pour the water in without taking the lid off. G'Luck with your hatch...
Set it and FORGET IT... Can you truly forget it though? No... But it is very conveneint to have the egg turner because you aren't bothered with the turning and less hands in the bator seems the better!!
I hatched out a few hundred chicks last summer with a 95% hatch rate, only turning when chicks hatched (I just added eggs to the incubator every few days, so hatching chicks were in with eggs of all ages instead of setting eggs all at once, I only have one bator and too cheap to buy more, and couldn't see wasting all those good eggs!), so once every three or four days I'd turn the eggs. Sometimes went up to a week without turning at all, and everyone was fine, with an awesome hatch rate. I really don't think it matters if you're turning by hand or using a turner. I'd save the $ and buy some more chickens or eggs.
I hand turn all my eggs....your only opening the bator on candling days which are 7, 14 and 18 for most who hatch chicks... Did get a second bator for Christmas and a turner have not tried it yet....still think I'm going to hand turn...
I hand turn all my eggs...nothing to it.... Hand turning 3 times a day...a hen gets off the nest atleast for 20 minutes a day for the first 18 days....she has no problems neither do I.... When you candle on 7, 14 and 18..its one of the times in the evening when your turning anyway.....