The Neccessity of Egg Turning?

[Patchesnposies]

I am not sure this is the forum to post this question, but decided to since the question is actually about turning eggs.

I have a bare bones incubator, still air, no turner (LG) that gave me fits keeping the temps stable. I tried not to open it unless I really had to. I had a successful hatch of 10 out of 12 eggs hatch a few days ago. One of the little silver spangled hamburg chicks had a "bubble" on its back behind its leg wrapping around a little bit of his bottom/abdomen. It was full of fluid and looked exactly like a blister. I thought perhaps it got burned somehow in the incubator but realized that was an impossibility. Plus, I'd noticed the bubble when he was not yet out of the shell.

SO. I was wondering if somehow he didn't get turned often enough (at least early on) and he"stuck" to the shell? There are no feathers growing on this area. Other than his bald spot he is as healthy as any of the other chicks that hatched.

Is this the reason why we need to turn them often?

Any ideas?

 

[Rammy]

From my experience, you need to turn them in order to keep them from sticking to the shell, it excercises them also. I turned mine at least three times a day only because I have to work so I would do it before I left, when I came home, and before I wen to bed. This year I gave myself an egg turner for my birthday.
Im sure others on here who have been hatching for years will give you better info than me. You could also search for older posts on the subject and it should give you the information you need.

Rammy

 

[abritton77]

I have had some look like that on my last 2 batches and I had a turner not working for part of the time but am not sure if the eggs were even in that turner. Oddly enough, I believe that all of the ones like that are half silver spangled hamburgs. I only have one hamburg hen and no hamburg rooster.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Quote:
Wow. Now THAT is interesting. Did they ever outgrow it or are they still too young to tell if they will regrow those feathers?

My two SSH hens and their rooster have been in a breeding pen together for two months to ensure purity....unless one of my hens has someone on the side.

lol

 

[Illia]

The neccessity of turning eggs pertains to BEFORE lockdown, it prevents the young chick inside from sticking to the shell and dying. Your chick there likely has its issue not because of lack of turning, but because of too small of an egg or the chick developing in the wrong position in the last few days.

 

[Patchesnposies]

Right, I understand about the turning being in the first two weeks or up until lockdown. I see how it is important especially when the embryo is still very small and developing. It could get stuck to the shell.

That is why I was wondering if for some reason this particular egg did not get turned as often...(I turn by hand so I can imagine I might miss one a few times depending on where it was at in the incubator...I don't think I did, but it is not outside the realm of possibility) .....could it have gotten stuck and the feathers came off as it pipped, zipped and hatched.

It hatched out of the big end and had no troubles getting out. I just don't know why it would have this bald area. I am wondering if it is something that happens to SSH chicks, per the other poster. (abritton77)