to turn or not to turn?

[mrforkie]

Hey guys I have got a question, i am recieving eggs bu monday, i need to know wether or not i should turn the eggs? I know i should but im away at work 16 hours everyday for two weeks, should i turn them like crazy when i am home? Or am i better off just leaving them set? This is really worrying me because its my 1st attempt at incubating! Im usining the little giant w/out fan attacment if it any help. Thanks for all the help you guys (and gals!) Have given me

 

[Fred's Hens]

You can still turn them twice, perhaps three times, in a 24 hour period. That's pretty essential. Two or three times in a 24 hour day is pretty good, certainly, better than not turning.

 

[ccmarie]

For the first week, you want to make sure and turn them two or three times a day, if you can. After that, I still turn them once or twice a day, but it's not as important. With both of my batches, I ended up leaving them for two or three days in a row (in the second week), and I still had a great hatch rate.

 

[chicken pickin]

Are they shipped eggs or local? Local eggs you can turn everyday from day of set until lockdown 3 times a day would be good even 2 if thats all you can do. On shipped eggs Ive read that a lot of people that set shipped eggs dont start turning for any where from 3-5 days some people even go as far as 7-10 of no turning after setting the eggs. Myself included, I have shipped eggs on day13 of incubation and I didnt start turning until day 5. This allows the air cell to stabalize after a long probably not so gentle travel through the PO. I think If it were me whether shipped or local and after deciding on what day to start turning id still definitely turn 2-3 times a day until lockdown. But Im new to incubating so I hope more pros respond to you. And read up there is tons of info and words of wisdom here on BYC.

 

[mrforkie]

Thanks for the input everyone, id hate for my first hatch to be a disaster!

 

[CluckAcres]

I would turn them as well even if you can only do it before work and after.