chicks

[chittyn]

just a quick question when i turn eggs would it be ok for me to tun 3 times for around 4 days once at 7:15 am once at 6:00pm and once at 10:00 pm or are the gaps too big ??

 

[Bantam Username]

Yep, but suprisingly the time has quite literally flown by, I ended up candling every couple of days as it was so interesting seeing the rapid changes.

Spending lots of time on this forum reading posts has helped the time go by too as its all so fascinating, although this last few days is really dragging now.

 

[chittyn]

hahaha but wt do u think about my issue with candiling ??

 

[chittyn]

sorry not candiling egg turning ??

 

[Bantam Username]

I turn 3 times a day, 9.00am, 3.00pm, and 9.00pm.
If its early on and only for 4 days, hopefully it should be ok, but that leaves the egg sat on the same side for a long stretch of time twice each day, so I'm not really sure, you may want to ask that of someone else just to be on the safe side.

 

[chittyn]

no its gonna be quite late on in the hatch do you think the chicks will be deformed

 

[chittyn]

but i thought some people only turn twice a day ?

 

[Bantam Username]

I think its meant to be a better hatch rate if turned 3 times or more but its best to turn an odd number of times a day instead of an even number so its not always sitting on the same side for long stretches.
Its not that they will be deformed necessarily but its so they don't get stuck to the side of the egg.
It may be ok if its late on in incubation as the chick will already be developed, whereas in the middle of incubation the chick is rapidly turning from a tiny foetus into a big chick.
But as I said, I'm a first timer too so I'm only going by snippets I've picked up here and there so you may want to ask other people who have more experience on this particular thing.

 

[tinychickies]

I concur 3 x a day is ideal but 4 is better in early stages then stop turning the eggs 3 days before hatch time. I once had an egg with movement and veining at 7 days but died on day 10. I was told that the yolk had stucked to the shell because there was a time when I forgot to turn them.

 

[peepblessed]

I have an automatic turner but I found this great info in a search...

You really need to turn them more than twice! They should be turned an odd number of times. That way you don't have them setting on the same side every night. Minimum is 3 times but more is better! if not turned enough the yolk will stick to the side of the shell. resulting in embryo not developing right ( or at all) or the chick could be stuck to the shell aswell. Day 18 is lock down. Which means no more opening the bator. If the chicks hatch they are fine for upto 3 days inside the bator. They have just absorbed the yolk sack and will have all the nutrients and water they need for 3 days. If you Must open the bator You can take it into a HOT steamy bathroom to open. I use a small room heater and the shower on full blast HOT!!! I look like I was in the shower when I come out of the Bathroom. Doing this will prevent the temp and humidity from dropping. The sudden temp change when you open the bator during lockdown will actually cause the membrane inside the shell to shrinkwrap to the chick and kill them! 99.5 is optimum for a forced air bator. and 100-101 is best for a non fan bator. I turned mine on 2 days befor and made sure the temp was steady. Then when you add the room temp eggs, the temp will drop in the bator. DONT adjust the temp on the bator if it has been steady! The bator will recover the temp as soon as it brings the eggs up to temp. I leave the eggs in the same room as the bator atleast over night befor adding to the bator. You donot want to add cold eggs to the bator. The high temp difference can cause the eggs to die. Room temp 70+ is great! Hand turned atleast 3 time a day! Odd number of times! that way the egg doesn't set on the same side every night. or use an egg turner. It turnes repeatedly 24 hrs a day.