Why can't you incubate eggs laying on their sides?

[ohnoicantfly]

Just out of curiosity, why is it that we have to incubate eggs pointy end down? I mean, a broody hens hatches her clutch with the eggs laying on their sides, so why can't we? Does it have to do with the difference between the amount of times a broody turns her eggs and we turn eggs in a day?

 

[Cebarmlds]

Yes broodies do it all the time, I’ve used an incubator without racks , so eggs are laying on their sides. Turn them every day.

 

[Ridgerunner]

why is it that we have to incubate eggs pointy end down?

You do not have to. Some incubators are set up to incubate them laying on their side.

What the pointy end down is all about is that if you incubate them standing up you want the air cell in the fat end to be up. That way it stays where it should be so they can pip correctly.