Real quick egg turning question

[johnj16]

Looking for some advise on turning the eggs that I have collected from my gorgeous Rhode Island Red hens. Today is the first bunch that I have collected and I plan on storing them until Wednesday when we put them in the bator. I have read several articles on turning the eggs during this storage period. Wow, so many different opinions. Here is what I am doing, anyone see any problems??

I have placed the eggs in an egg carton, little end down. I have closed the carton and elevated one end of the carton around 3-4 inches. Then later in the day I elevate the other side. Is this sufficient, or should I physically pick the egg up and turn it. I am somewhat confused on how to turn the egg if I need to pick it up and turn it. Do I twist it or flip it over.

C'mon BYC'ers, help a fellow chicken'r out here with some solid advise.

Thx,

JJ

 

[jvls1942]

that is sufficient.. and furthermore, you could incubate them by doing just that by elevating your incubator on one end and then switching to the other end 3 times a day..

all you are doing is preventing the yolk from settling to the shell and sticking to it..

in my opinion, a very rare occurance if it should ever happen in the first place..

how man eggs have you ever taken out of the refrigerator and cracked open and the yolk was stuck to the shell? and those eggs are never rolled, are they ?? just a retorical question..

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

I'll have to disagree with the previous post. Yes, turning the eggs does help keep the chick from getting stuck but it also promotes the development of the chick. I have been increasing my hatch rate by increasing the times of day that I turn the eggs. If I am lucky and can get a hen to set them I even have better luck. So, you do need to turn them. I have the best luck using my hand (I put a glove on cause I was told to do so) and I just roll them around about 5 times a day. Hatch rate went from 70% for 3 times turned a day to about 80 to 85% rolling 5 times a day. Under a hen it is closer to 90%...

When my eggs are waiting for the incubator, I just simply turn them sideways in the carton about once per day... I just mimic the hen jumping in the nest and laying another egg... Seems to work for me.

Dave

 

[johnj16]

Thanks for the reply, would you do me a favor and describe what you mean by "I just roll them around about 5 times a day". I am wondering if I just twist them a little or flip them over.

Thanks,

JJ

 

[kathyinmo]

Quote:
An electric egg turner just rocks the egg back and forth. No, you don't flip them over. Just kinda like a rocking chair.....

I know just what you mean ..... the first time I ever heard of an egg turner I though the egg should flip totally over, too.

 

[Urbanfarmerkc]

Quote:
I just roll them around careful not to be too rough or to bump them against each other. I also strive not to roll them over length wise so that I don't cause damage to the air sack. (This is on the blunt end of the egg). It isn't too technical, I got the idea from the old manual for my Leahy Favorite Incubator. The suggest you roll the eggs for small bantam and quail eggs.

 

[catdaddyfro]

Quote:
I just roll them around careful not to be too rough or to bump them against each other. I also strive not to roll them over length wise so that I don't cause damage to the air sack. (This is on the blunt end of the egg). It isn't too technical, I got the idea from the old manual for my Leahy Favorite Incubator. The suggest you roll the eggs for small bantam and quail eggs.

I take out some of the middle eggs and place them to the outside and use the palms of my hands and gently roll the eggs towards the center. One of the main things besides being as gentle as possible, is to wash your hands and dry them well to keep from contaminating the eggs or stopping up the pores of the shell. About twice daily is all that is nessesary three times at the most. The trick there is not opening the incubator too much as the unsteady temps will play a huge roll in the incubation process- end result in a delayed hatch as it takes the incubator some time to stabilize the egg temps everytime you open and close it. I know a hen gets off the nest to eat and relieve herself of waste but mother nature has a way of taking care of those little issues a lot better than a man made machine. The hen knows when to sit tighter or even stand some-what over the eggs to control their temps. I've actually seen hens do this in the hot summers here in the south act as more of a shade than a heater in fact. Ok, I shall hush up now I got plum off the beaten path there for a few, huh?

Jeff