Turning eggs.

[BelovedBirds]

I hear this often but don't get why it matters.
Care to explain?

I'm interested too, I can't imagine a hen counting to an odd number.

 

[LocalJuiceBox]

oh okay, if they've already started to be incubated then that's understandable.
Why do you keep taking eggs that are already developed? I'm not trying to be rude or anything, I'm genuinely curious- You'll probably won't have as good a hatch rate when transporting living developing eggs to another incubator.
Are these from under a broody at the farm you work at? Is there no way you could've gotten fresh eggs?

Anyways, hopefully the incubator comes soon! That should help!
Candle at 7 days, then at 14, then at 18/before lockdown, I think. Personally I candle every few days, but you just have to make sure that they're developing, remove any that arent, and remove quitters before lockdown

Oh you aren't coming off as rude. The incubator should be arriving today. I will be very pissed if it does not. But the reason I can't just get all fresh eggs is because one of our pigs got in and we cant get him out. The big will often try to steal the duck eggs and eat them. As well as the ducks lay everywhere and its hard to find the nest. Sometimes stray eggs will survive and is seperated from its original clutch. Right now it is difficult for me to find any duck eggs since most of them has already hatched and... the pig. but I'm trying my best!

 

[SilverBirds]

I hear this often but don't get why it matters.
Care to explain?

It's often a 8-12 hour period that eggs will be sitting in the same position, so you want them to alternate sides each night. It also makes it where the eggs are never on the same side each hour. This prevents the embryos from sticking to the side. I tend to rotate 7 hours for the first couple of days and then rotate 5 times a day.

 

[LocalJuiceBox]

Oh you aren't coming off as rude. The incubator should be arriving today. I will be very pissed if it does not. But the reason I can't just get all fresh eggs is because one of our pigs got in and we cant get him out. The big will often try to steal the duck eggs and eat them. As well as the ducks lay everywhere and its hard to find the nest. Sometimes stray eggs will survive and is seperated from its original clutch. Right now it is difficult for me to find any duck eggs since most of them has already hatched and... the pig. but I'm trying my best!

Whats sad is the food is getting here faster than the incubator and I ordered the incubator last week

 

[SilverBirds]

I'm interested too, I can't imagine a hen counting to an odd number.

Hens are moving/rotating their eggs multiple times every hour. Automated turners are also constantly rotating eggs. When hand turning eggs it is best to turn them odd number of times. It helps prevent the embryo from sitting in the same position for to long and sticking to the side. Especially at night, eggs sit for long periods of time without moving. If you turn an at even numbers, the eggs are always resting on the same side every night.


Sorry if it's hard to understand. I'm having a bit of trouble explaining it.

 

[NatJ]

I hear this often but don't get why it matters.
Care to explain?

If you turn them at exactly even intervals, it doesn't matter. (So every 12 hours, or every 8 hours, or every 6 hours, or something like that.) But for most people that is not possible.

If you turn them at the same times each day, unevenly spaced, then it comes out even over the course of two days.

Example: turn at 6 am, noon, and 6pm makes two sets of 6 hours and one 12 hours. But which side is up during that long night will alternate from one day to the next, because there is an odd number of total turns in the day.

For some people, the longest stretch will be nighttime, for other people it will be when they are away at work or school.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hens are moving/rotating their eggs multiple times every hour. Automated turners are also constantly rotating eggs. When hand turning eggs it is best to turn them odd number of times. It helps prevent the embryo from sitting in the same position for to long and sticking to the side. Especially at night, eggs sit for long periods of time without moving. If you turn an at even numbers, the eggs are always resting on the same side every night.


Sorry if it's hard to understand. I'm having a bit of trouble explaining it.

ahhh, that does make sense! I'll keep that in mind the next time I hatch, as I always hand turn them

 

[BelovedBirds]

Oh you aren't coming off as rude. The incubator should be arriving today. I will be very pissed if it does not. But the reason I can't just get all fresh eggs is because one of our pigs got in and we cant get him out. The big will often try to steal the duck eggs and eat them. As well as the ducks lay everywhere and its hard to find the nest. Sometimes stray eggs will survive and is seperated from its original clutch. Right now it is difficult for me to find any duck eggs since most of them has already hatched and... the pig. but I'm trying my best!

ah okay! That makes more sense then.
Do the ducks not have anywhere safe to lay? From my understanding they usually like somewhere safe and dark to lay them if they have the option. If they're making nests out in the open, making it harder to find, that could cause all kinds of issues--- especially with the pig!!

 

[LocalJuiceBox]

ah okay! That makes more sense then.
Do the ducks not have anywhere safe to lay? From my understanding they usually like somewhere safe and dark to lay them if they have the option. If they're making nests out in the open, making it harder to find, that could cause all kinds of issues--- especially with the pig!!

They do! We have dog houses and iglues and all sorts of fun hides for them to hide in. And of course the ducklings and chicks are kept inside of one of the trailers when they first hatch and are later moved to a pen especially for them until they are old enough.

 

[LocalJuiceBox]

They do! We have dog houses and iglues and all sorts of fun hides for them to hide in. And of course the ducklings and chicks are kept inside of one of the trailers when they first hatch and are later moved to a pen especially for them until they are old enough.

Update: The incubator is on it's way!!