[Mischief]

Hi all

Just a quick query really.....I've just put 12 eggs into an incubator to hopefully hatch out in 21 days time. Its my friends incubator and she said that the automatic egg turner is broken so I will need to manually turn the eggs every day. She said that she turns them 3 times a day or so......Could anyone advise if this is okay and if the eggs will be okay for the couple of minutes it will take me to turn them???

Many thanks

[joyfull]

hello, I normally use broodies but yes I believe in an incubator you should turn them 3 times a day (if you mark them with pencil on 1 side it will be easier to tell if you have done each one) and don't forget to stop at day 18 I think 

[Mischief]

Many thanks for your response!! had no idea that I needed to stop turning them at day 18!!!

[Tony H]

Hi yes three times is enough you cant turn to many times in tests a chuck can turn her eggs up to two thousand times in twenty four hr period  if you get some warm water ready to fill the tubs at the same time this will reduce the need to open the incubater, warm water is better to use as cold water can reduce the temp.
you need to stop turnning at 18 days so the chick can possition its self to start pipping,
the most important thing is humidity this needs to be as close to 60% as possible and in the finnal days get it as close to 80% to help the chick come out. good luck 

[Casey76]

Actually more than three times is better, but it should always be an odd number