staggered hatch auto-turner and without

[marmca]

I gave up on the eggs in my (sub-par homemade incubator) and awoke to cheeping from room with auto turner incubator, new baby (Yeah) noticed that several others were set on the 10th as well. Removed these and baby, put eggs under lamp with wet paper towel.
Not sure about these, were set unmarked in turner, no set date and not marked as to breed from shipper. Figure I will 'turn' eggs by hand twice a day - as they have been auto turned for at least 14 days now.
Or unplugg turner and leave all in incubator afraid I will lose 30+ kept in there.

Should I just not worry as this little roo seems to have done o.k. in Turner without the 4 day rest period.
Constructive criticism; brainstorming ideas would be appreciated.

 

[Pathfinders]

Not sure what you mean about 4 day rest period. Did someone recommend you let shipped eggs sit for four days before putting in the incubator? I generally only wait 24 hours before doing so.

 

[sumi]

I gave up on the eggs in my (sub-par homemade incubator) and awoke to cheeping from room with auto turner incubator, new baby (Yeah) noticed that several others were set on the 10th as well. Removed these and baby, put eggs under lamp with wet paper towel.

Not sure about these, were set unmarked in turner, no set date and not marked as to breed from shipper. Figure I will 'turn' eggs by hand twice a day - as they have been auto turned for at least 14 days now.
Or unplugg turner and leave all in incubator afraid I will lose 30+ kept in there.

Should I just not worry as this little roo seems to have done o.k. in Turner without the 4 day rest period.
Constructive criticism; brainstorming ideas would be appreciated.

I'm sorry, I can't figure out exactly what you are dealing with here, so I'm going to guess and try my best. You say you set eggs on the 10th and they are hatching now? (Or should soon). Have you candled them to see if they are viable (developing). Those eggs, if viable, really should stay in the incubator, with the turner off. A lamp and a wet towel can work in an emergency, but in this stage, if you have an incubator running, it will be best to leave them in there.

The second set of eggs. You say they've been turned for at least 14 days, so I'm assuming then they have been incubating for at least 2 weeks, possibly longer? After 14 days, turning the eggs is not essential any more. We still do, until lockdown (day 18 for chicken eggs), but it will not cause a disaster if you stop turning them now. To help you figure out what's going on in those eggs and narrow down their due date, here is an excellent candling diary with photo's:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...dling-pics-progression-though-incubation/0_20

Best of luck with the hatch(es)!

 

[marmca]

Not sure what you mean about 4 day rest period. Did someone recommend you let shipped eggs sit for four days before putting in the incubator? I generally only wait 24 hours before doing so.

Isn't it practice to stop turning eggs at 18 days? which plus 3 days, o.k. math skills not what they should be.
Shipped eggs were let 'rest' for 24 hours before set.

 

[marmca]

I'm sorry, I can't figure out exactly what you are dealing with here, so I'm going to guess and try my best. You say you set eggs on the 10th and they are hatching now? (Or should soon). Have you candled them to see if they are viable (developing). Those eggs, if viable, really should stay in the incubator, with the turner off. A lamp and a wet towel can work in an emergency, but in this stage, if you have an incubator running, it will be best to leave them in there.

The second set of eggs. You say they've been turned for at least 14 days, so I'm assuming then they have been incubating for at least 2 weeks, possibly longer? After 14 days, turning the eggs is not essential any more. We still do, until lockdown (day 18 for chicken eggs), but it will not cause a disaster if you stop turning them now. To help you figure out what's going on in those eggs and narrow down their due date, here is an excellent candling diary with photo's:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...dling-pics-progression-though-incubation/0_20

Best of luck with the hatch(es)!

Thank you for the link. And the advice. One other broke through shell yesterday, but hen little or no progress, I was able to crack a little further but stopped when I saw a bit of pink-red when I tore the membrane. Others still no progress. I think I will put them back in bator and turn of the auto turner. They seemed to do better in there, more humidity constant temp.

 

[Pathfinders]

Isn't it practice to stop turning eggs at 18 days? which plus 3 days, o.k. math skills not what they should be.
Shipped eggs were let 'rest' for 24 hours before set.

Oh yes, I misunderstood. You were speaking of the three to four day "lockdown" period at the end of the hatch. Sorry, I was confused.

 

[Pathfinders]

Thank you for the link. And the advice. One other broke through shell yesterday, but hen little or no progress, I was able to crack a little further but stopped when I saw a bit of pink-red when I tore the membrane. Others still no progress. I think I will put them back in bator and turn of the auto turner. They seemed to do better in there, more humidity constant temp.

Once chicks start to hatch it is best to not open the incubator at all for at least 24 hours (I like to give it 48 myself.) However tempting it is to "help" chicks, it's my experience that you shouldn't do that as a general rule.

Just leave them be to do their thing as nature has programmed them to do.

 

[Cynthia12]

I personally don't leave my chicks in the bator, I snatch them out real quick so they don't scramble other eggs. I have tried the turner, didn't like it. Tried the egg carton method, didn't like it. I like turning eggs three times a day. I don't usually help them out unless they've been pipped for a full day, and have not progressed. Especially if they are small eggs..silkies, seramas....then they do need help.
Good luck, just keep them in the bator for a while longer, sounds like you have some action going on in there. Now that the one that you have helped has had a nice air way cleared, let it set for a day, if you are seeing blood, it can wait a while before you do anything more.

 

[sumi]

Quote:

Thank you for the link. And the advice. One other broke through shell yesterday, but hen little or no progress, I was able to crack a little further but stopped when I saw a bit of pink-red when I tore the membrane. Others still no progress. I think I will put them back in bator and turn of the auto turner. They seemed to do better in there, more humidity constant temp.

Good idea, they will need a fairly high humidity, to prevent them drying out and getting shrink wrapped in the eggs after pipping. In my experience chicks can take up to 24 hours to progress from pip, so give it a bit more time. Best of luck!

 

[LTygress]

Don't worry about turning off the turner. I keep mine in the turner all the way through hatch, and they do just fine. Actually, since I began doing that, not a single one has pipped the wrong end! And I had many of those when I stopped turning, so I actually think it HELPS!