I am going to try and get to Tractor Supply to purchase another turner before this weekend, but I cant guarantee I will be able to. Its about 30 minutes away, and I work every day until 5. I have eggs being delivered today and tomorrow. One empty incubator and one full of eggs- two hatches, due to hatch on Tuesday and the following week. I am leaving early Saturday morning, and returning on Sunday night. I could technically turn eggs before I go Saturday(6 a.m.) and when I return (after 9pm) on Sunday. I really dont trust nor want my 15yr old to touch the incubator/eggs...probably would not put the lid on right or forget, etc...my temps have run a little on the high end consistently with the eggs that I have in the incubator with the turner. I plan on leaving them in and stressing over it the whole time I am gone. However, if I turn the new eggs (Show Girls and coturnix quail) three times a day until Saturday morning then dont turn them again until I get back home Sunday night, will they be okay? Ugh- if I would have known ahead of time that I was going to be out of town overnight, I could have planned better.
I had read that shipped eggs do better if you don't turn them at all for a few days. It's supposed to let the embryo get a good start and to keep the air cell steady. I don't know if it helps alot,but I don't turn mine until about day 3 and they have doe well.
They may be fine, but turning is more important in the early stages of incubation so that the new embryo doesn't stick to the shell membrane. That being said, I'd turn shipped eggs really gently the first couple of days.