when exactly to start turning eggs?

[laurarose]

So I'm planning on incubating 5 Pekin (Cochin bantam) & 5 silkie eggs this weekend, everything is prepared but I want to double check when I should begin turning the eggs?

The instructions with the incubator say to leave the eggs in the incubator for two days then begin turning the eggs until the 18th day.

Is this correct?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Do you have an auto turner or are you hand turning? Are your eggs your own or have you recieved them through the post?
For eggs recieved through the post then yes I would not turn them for a couple of days after setting but if they are your own egg then start turning them straight away. I start my turner straight away as soon as I've set for non posted eggs.

Turning during the first two weeks of incubation is critical for good development of the embryos. Turning stops the embryo sticking to the inside of the shell and gets the nutrients in the egg moving about so that the embryo can absorb them during the incubation period.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your Peking and silkie eggs.

 

[laurarose]

I have received the silkie eggs through the post which I've allowed to settle for one day. The Pekin eggs are my own so I could turn the pekins and leave the silkies for a couple of days?

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Yeah that sounds that good. Have you checked the silkie eggs for detached or floating air sacs? If the silkie eggs don't have detached or floating air sacs and look good you should be ok to start turning the straight away. Or if your not sure about the sacs don't turn them for a couple of days to give them more chance I'd settling.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

This link is a good article on incubating and has a great section on incubating shipped eggs https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/hatching-eggs-101

 

[laurarose]

i'm going to check the silkie eggs now, hopefully they're fine!

Thanks for the help I think I'm all set now!