Question about turning eggs...

[Rosaleen]

I set my eggs on Nov 1. The next day I turned the eggs at 7 am and noon. I was sceduled for a two o'clock surgery on my knee and out of the day surgery unit by 6pm. Home in time to turn eggs again. I like to turn at least three times a day. The surgery didn't take place till 5pm...I also had a bad reaction to the anesthesia and they kept me till 5pm the next day. My eggs didn't get turned Nov 2 the third time and on Nov 3 they didn't get turned until evening when I returned from the hospital. My question is - will this have a big impact on my hatch, throw my schedule off, or the overall viability of this batch of eggs?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hopefully your knee and you are doing OK.

I would not get too highly stressed about it. Remember that the recommendations and suggestions are guidelines, not absolute laws of nature. Following the guidelines exactly does not guarantee success. Violating some does not guarantee absolute failure. Many of us violate some of them and still do OK. The guidelines are there to help improve your odds. That's all they do. Give you a better chance of success. No guarantees either way.

Turning the eggs is important, even early in incubation. That's when certain body parts start formimg. If the eggs are not turned, those body parts can be a little out of place. Don't let that worry you or frighten you. Just because something can happen does not mean it will. I really think not turning them the way you did will not have any impact at all. That really does not happen that often, even if they are not turned even more than yours.

It's not a good thing, but I would not throw them out and start over. I really think you will be OK. You'd be surprised how tough those eggs can be.

 

[Rosaleen]

Thank you, I am feeling much better and even started physical therapy this afternoon. I plan to go back to work Monday. I was just worried about the eggs. I've hatched many eggs over the years but I never had an interruption like this before. I will wait and see.

 

[Garrisonkidsduo2]

My turning schedule got off at first but wait for about 8 days and candle them. i have learned you should be able to go back to your turning times and still be okay. All my eggs took at first we had to take one out but after 8 days and no veins in the egg we cracked it open and no embryo so it wasn't a good egg. I started with 3 chicken eggs but only one we took out and it to was not fertile.

 

[Melissa Rose]

When I first started incubating chicken eggs I had read that turning in the beginning is way more important than near the end of the incubation. I also read several articles on hatches where the eggs weren't turned at all and still hatched fine. I don't think I would try this but when I'm a little behind turning due to something coming up I try not to stress about it! I hope your knee gets to feeling better

 

[cva34]

The KNEE IS #1 eggs #2 chickens forget too...cva34