Egg Turning

[Phunktacular]

I understand that the recommended times to turn eggs a full rotation is once every 4-6 hours. That's 2-3 hours per half turn or 4-6 full turns per day. My last calculation I need to make in building my newest incubator is the turning speed and how I want to implement it with my existing materials. Is it better to constantly turn and just change directions every couple of hours or should it activate a 1/2 turn every 2-3 hours and stop and not move again until it's time to 1/2 turn, again? I have a 6V, 1rpm, high torque DC motor that I can do it either way with, or a larger gear/chain motor that will only activate when directed and stop in a short(programmed) amount of time.

Also, if it was a constant move and just change directions when reaching each pinnacle, how much variance would I get in hatch rates if it were a little faster or slower turns compared to recommended?

I don't believe that turning a little slower or faster would or should make much difference. Though, I'd like to know if anybody has any experience with such variance in turning times. Any thoughts are welcome.

 

[Maiahr]

I cannot answer your questions but I am SO GLAD you posted them as I just ordered a motor for my first DYI incubator and I do need to know all those things as well. I have made my own hatcher before without the egg turning function so I only use it for Lockdown.

 

[Phunktacular]

My first incubator was basically just a lockdown, as well. However, I used a little giant egg turner on the top shelf. Then, lockdown was shelf below in a small tote like bowl. Worked well for quail. The new incubator will have the turners and the old will become my lockdown. Very excited to get it up and running. Picked up 2 beverage coolers with magnetic sealed glass doors for free. Very much awesome.

 

[Shadrach]

I understand that the recommended times to turn eggs a full rotation is once every 4-6 hours. That's 2-3 hours per half turn or 4-6 full turns per day. My last calculation I need to make in building my newest incubator is the turning speed and how I want to implement it with my existing materials. Is it better to constantly turn and just change directions every couple of hours or should it activate a 1/2 turn every 2-3 hours and stop and not move again until it's time to 1/2 turn, again? I have a 6V, 1rpm, high torque DC motor that I can do it either way with, or a larger gear/chain motor that will only activate when directed and stop in a short(programmed) amount of time.

Also, if it was a constant move and just change directions when reaching each pinnacle, how much variance would I get in hatch rates if it were a little faster or slower turns compared to recommended?

I don't believe that turning a little slower or faster would or should make much difference. Though, I'd like to know if anybody has any experience with such variance in turning times. Any thoughts are welcome.

You might find this an educational read.
http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-635X2016000600001

 

[Maiahr]

@Shadrach very good article thank you!
So turning every 15min is best, I just didn't understand about the angle as it was written both 90 and 45 degrees.
@Phunktacular please can you post pictures? I am making mine out of styrofoam boxes from fish which I often find in the trash bins behind grossery stores (free). Motor - car scrap yard - the guy told me he'll give it to me for free..

 

[Ted_Harrell]

I think they meant that 45 degrees every 15 minutes was the same as 90 degrees twice
an hour, unless I misunderstood the article. Some of the language was a little thick, but a good article.

 

[FortCluck]

I'm turning a mini fridge into a incubator, but I'm buying egg turners to put in it. I do know there are a lot of YouTube videos of people making their own egg turners.

 

[Shadrach]

@Shadrach very good article thank you!
So turning every 15min is best, I just didn't understand about the angle as it was written both 90 and 45 degrees.
@Phunktacular please can you post pictures? I am making mine out of styrofoam boxes from fish which I often find in the trash bins behind grossery stores (free). Motor - car scrap yard - the guy told me he'll give it to me for free..

I have a nest box in my house. I've timed the hens turning eggs and I get about every twenty minutes. What I don't know is how many eggs they turn each go or which way up they turn them.
Many will tell you that they get decent hatch rates out of an incubator. What is currently being researched (a roll on from the article linked to above) is the long term health effects of the various factors. One thing has been established and that is the nests need natural light. I can't find the article that suggests what the befits are. A bit of a search with Google Scholar should produce some results.

 

[Phunktacular]

@Shadrach very good article thank you!
So turning every 15min is best, I just didn't understand about the angle as it was written both 90 and 45 degrees.

Typically, an egg turner is going to turn them a full 90 degrees every couple of hours. What I read was, by turning them only 45 degrees at a time with more frequency(45 degrees, every 15 minutes makes the full 90 every 30 minutes), the eggs will develop better.

@Phunktacular please can you post pictures? I am making mine out of styrofoam boxes from fish which I often find in the trash bins behind grossery stores (free). Motor - car scrap yard - the guy told me he'll give it to me for free..

I'll try getting some pictures posted, soon. I have a thread that describes, in detail, of my build. I'll get pictures and add them to that thread and link it here.

 

[Maiahr]

On the natural light -- how do they get a natural light under a mother hen?
@Phunktacular have you watched some of these videos? I don't have time yet, I'll probably watch them during the weekend.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=homemade+incubators