Zero turn/ not turning eggs?

[HatchCraft]

I'm sorry but this just seems lazy, and this is coming from a lazy person.

It's not lazy it's science. lol

 

[HatchCraft]

All I know is I spent $60 for those eggs and it was pure devastation. Never, ever again.

It's entirely possible that for whatever reason quail handle it much better than chickens, but I can say without a doubt it is not a good idea for chickens. My humidity and temperature were on point throughout that incubation, and it took me weeks to figure out just how the **** all but four of those eggs expired.

That was unfortunate. I am definitely not recommending the practice. Thanks for sharing your results.

 

[Mosey2003]

I suppose gathering data could be interesting, if you had 50 eggs to basically forfeit, and just set them in an incubator and let them go, to see how many would hatch anyway. And how many would survive vs thrive. Could also be interesting in a way to breed back the most vigorous survivors with each other and see if that increased a completely hands-off hatchability.

But, on the other hand, it also seems a titch macabre.

 

[HatchCraft]

Here is a link to poultry science articles that deal with turning during incubation. https://academic.oup.com/ps/search-results?page=1&q=turning eggs&fl_SiteID=5340&SearchSourceType=1&allJournals=1

Have you notice so many of the studies were done in the 30s-50s. Occasional I see newer studies dealing with frequencies and angles. I guess the subject is settled science at this point. I have read so many explanations as to why and yet I don't think it's really fully understood.

 

[Mosey2003]

Have you notice so many of the studies were done in the 30s-50s. Occasional I see newer studies dealing with frequencies and angles. I guess the subject is settled science at this point. I have read so many explanations as to why and yet I don't think it's really fully understood.

I think it's pretty settled, yeah. I mean, I'm one that refuses to use a broody and I hate the flat turner that rolls the eggs to simulate one, but the fact remains that hens wouldn't roll eggs themselves for no reason.

 

[Chickassan]

True, true my 2cents on this, the last "science" that happened here were my DH's last batch. He didn't turn, he didn't do much of anything. Hatch day seemed to be going fine but there was a huge amount of intestinal deformities. They looked fine but with the first peep everything fell out the rear.
Hatch rate was near 80% survival rate was closer to 30%. I turn religiously now because that was AWFUL!

It's not lazy it's science. lol

 

[Mosey2003]

True, true my 2cents on this, the last "science" that happened here were my DH's last batch. He didn't turn, he didn't do much of anything. Hatch day seemed to be going fine but there was a huge amount of intestinal deformities. They looked fine but with the first peep everything fell out the rear.
Hatch rate was near 80% survival rate was closer to 30%. I turn religiously now because that was AWFUL!

Yeah, that sort of possibility was what I meant by macabre...

Did you keep the survivors? How did they turn out?

 

[Chickassan]

Macabre is an understatement it was an outright horror show.
We did keep the survivors three females and one male, females did well laid eggs and lived to a little over five years. Male did not fare well, he had to be culled at three months due to his hip dislocating constantly.
These were all game birds, so tough to begin with.

Yeah, that sort of possibility was what I meant by macabre...

Did you keep the survivors? How did they turn out?

 

[Redhead Rae]

I think it's pretty settled, yeah. I mean, I'm one that refuses to use a broody and I hate the flat turner that rolls the eggs to simulate one, but the fact remains that hens wouldn't roll eggs themselves for no reason.

Why don't you like using broodies? I find the chicks integrate into the flock better if they are broody raised. Of course, during the hottest part of the year, I give them incubator chicks because I've had bad experiences with exploding eggs.

 

[Mosey2003]

Macabre is an understatement it was an outright horror show.
We did keep the survivors three females and one male, females did well laid eggs and lived to a little over five years. Male did not fare well, he had to be culled at three months due to his hip dislocating constantly.
These were all game birds, so tough to begin with.

Heartbreaking.

What I posted earlier is how my mind works, I see an idea, spit it out, and then I chew on it for awhile. Your results sped up my thoughts though. I think, were one to want to improve hatchability in their lines, the safest method would still be to separate out the ones that hatched right on time or very slightly early and only breed from them. An experiment like I thought about above would be cruel.