Salutations!

Lady 0rpington

In the Brooder
Jun 12, 2025
5
25
21
Evening:
This is Susan in New Brunswick Canada.
I'm a relatively new chicken person, this being my second year with a backyard flock of 5 lavender orpington and 9 bresse which I hatched myself. I'm out in the country so I get to have a couple roosters too. I also have a small gang of bobwhite quail. I am attempting to hatch out another batch of bresse and have discovered that the egg-turner mechanism hasn't been working for potentially as long as 6 days (11-15). I got the lockdown incubator going and am hand turning every 8 hours. It's day 16 and I'm starting to really worry about how bad this batch might be from the lack of turning. i would really appreciate any experienced opinions on whether I should continue the hatch, or let them go quietly into that good night. Sorry for the downer of an introduction.
 
Hi, and welcome to BYC! :frow

I doubt that mattered because the most important turning is Day 1-14 and you got most of those days covered. By that time, they're at a size where they are more mobile and won't stick to the side. I'd candle them and you'll probably be able to see them moving.

Wishing you a great hatch!
 
Hi, and welcome to BYC! :frow

I doubt that mattered because the most important turning is Day 1-14 and you got most of those days covered. By that time, they're at a size where they are more mobile and won't stick to the side. I'd candle them and you'll probably be able to see them moving.

Wishing you a great hatch!
thank you so much for the reply, that is very good to know. i sure hope they are okay. do you think i should continue hand turning, or just think of them as in lockdown a few days early? i don't like opening the incubator so often. it's going down to 3 C tomorrow night, so it's still cold and drafty here.
 
IMG_0589.png
 
Evening:
This is Susan in New Brunswick Canada.
I'm a relatively new chicken person, this being my second year with a backyard flock of 5 lavender orpington and 9 bresse which I hatched myself. I'm out in the country so I get to have a couple roosters too. I also have a small gang of bobwhite quail. I am attempting to hatch out another batch of bresse and have discovered that the egg-turner mechanism hasn't been working for potentially as long as 6 days (11-15). I got the lockdown incubator going and am hand turning every 8 hours. It's day 16 and I'm starting to really worry about how bad this batch might be from the lack of turning. i would really appreciate any experienced opinions on whether I should continue the hatch, or let them go quietly into that good night. Sorry for the downer of an introduction.
Hello! Welcome to BYC! Enjoy yourself here!
 
thank you so much for the reply, that is very good to know. i sure hope they are okay. do you think i should continue hand turning, or just think of them as in lockdown a few days early? i don't like opening the incubator so often. it's going down to 3 C tomorrow night, so it's still cold and drafty here.
You certainly could stop hand-turning their last week. I do a 4-5 day lockdown most of the time anyway, as these silkies have pipped as early as Day 18.
 

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