Will opening the incubator hurt the eggs

[Basschicken]

I Have a cheap 7 egg incubator and when I open it to turn the eggs it takes 5 minutes before it get back to the right temperature. Will it hurt that eggs at all? And how often do I turn the eggs? Thanks

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Turn 2, 3 or as many times a day as you can. Opening the incubator isn't a problem. The internal egg temperature isn't the same as the air temperature in the incubator.
A hen gets off the nest about once a day.

 

[AmyLynn2374]

I Have a cheap 7 egg incubator and when I open it to turn the eggs it takes 5 minutes before it get back to the right temperature. Will it hurt that eggs at all? And how often do I turn the eggs? Thanks

There is no harm in opening the bator to turn the eggs. The heat loss is air temp not egg temp. The egg itself won't loose that much heat in the time it takes to turn the eggs. Eggs should be turned at least 3 times a day. Some of the newer bators actually have a cool down period option to mimick the time the hen leaves the nest to do her duties.

Now if you ask about opening the bator after lockdown and hatch you will get different opinions. Many people do not believe in opening after lockdown. I myself use a higher humidity at lockdown and I open during hatch with no adverse effects.

 

[Basschicken]

What is lock down ?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Lockdown is a make believe thing that means people up the humidity on day 18 and never open the incubator again until all the chicks hatch.
Opening most incubators during pipping will drop the humidity to the point of shrink wrapping the embryos where they can't move and won't hatch.

It is make believe because unless chicks are pipping, you can open the incubator. Day 18 is chosen in case they start to hatch early.

Day 18 is also when you stop turning them.

 

[Basschicken]

Ok I have one more question the incubator will only allow the eggs to sit straight up not on there side. So how should I turn them

 

[ChickenCanoe]

They need to be tilted somewhat so that with turning a different side is high.

 

[Basschicken]

I hate to ask so many questions but by tilted somewhat what do you mean? And how much should I turn them? half way?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The idea is to try to replicate nature. Eggs lay in a nest and the hen kicks them around to turn them. There is no set amount she turns them. She just scratches them about
several times a day. Most egg turners turn them side to side like this.

 

[RubyNala97]

I hate to ask so many questions but by tilted somewhat what do you mean? And how much should I turn them? half way?

It should at least be a 45 degree angle. Can you take a pic of your setup? I'm curious to see how a 7-egg bator has the eggs vertical. Also, my hatch rate went up when I went from turning 3 times a day to 5 times a day. Just my experience.