Turning eggs before incubating

[JediJinx]

How often and how critical is it to turn eggs that are waiting to be incubated? I have only 2 hens laying and had to wait a while before setting them. I turned them 2 times per day. But I am wondering if that was enough?

How often does everyone turn their eggs (prior to setting)?

 

[BantamLover21]

I believe that turning eggs does increase their hatchability a little, but I'm not sure how much. It is especially helpful (at least that is what I've read) if you have to store hatching eggs for longer than a few days or so.

If I remember to turn them, I usually turn my hatching eggs once a day. Sometimes I forget, but that hasn't affected my hatches so far.
I've not turned eggs at all before setting them and had an 100% hatch of fertile eggs, and I've turned eggs before setting them and had much lower hatchability than that. If you can turn your eggs, great. But if not, you can still have a good hatch. Good luck!

 

[Egghead_Jr]

I'm with BantamLover, the more I hatch the less critical I think it really is. Turning during incubation is indeed critical in both as often as you can and the amount of angle you provide with turns. I crumbled this year and finally picked up an auto turner. My first hatches would be 80-90% when it was all new and I hovered over the process like a new father. After 4 years the hatches went to 60% due to my not as enthusiastic manual turning. After the auto turner and not turning the eggs prior to incubating- 100% hatch. That 6 eggs collected from 1 bird over 8 or 9 days.

 

[JediJinx]

Ok thanks, I am somewhat relieved, I had a bad hatch the last time (4/16 and one death after hatch) so I am a little disillusioned now!

Learning so much here!