[nuzuki]

Hi all,
I have some hatching eggs on the go and am turning them 3 or 5 times a day so far. I have been trying to alternate the direction I turn them in also. Is there anything else I need to know in regards to turning eggs?

Also when candling the eggs Ive noticed a couple look like they have viens in the egg shell. Almost like lightening strikes. They seem to be on the shell though and not in it. Can anyone point me in the direction of a candled hatching egg with veins showing? Just so I can compare.

Thanks

[Casey76]

Hi nuzuki, you can check here:

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=73884.0

[Tony H]

hi as far as turning the eggs as long as you do it a minimum of three times a day that should be ok, the more the better, a test showed that a hen can turn upto 20times an hour as long asyou carry on turnning odd numbers 

[Sassy]

You may be doing this but you should turn them length ways

[Tony H]

Arrrr I didnt know that and i hadent seen it anywere els  is that why i have a poor hatch rate

[nuzuki]

I had been rolling them on their sides, a quarter of a turn one way then a quarter of a turn the other way (so I dont unravel the thingy majiggy). They kinda of get a "reset" when I candle them. But I hadnt turned them length ways and most auto turning incubators ive seen do not seem to do this either. I can see the logic in it though so I may give it a try on half the eggs I have on the go presently.

[Sassy]

Give them a full half turn - can't really do it any other way if turning lengthways. It helps stop the embryo becoming 'glued' to the shell

[nuzuki]

Thanks for the replies and thanks casey for the candling pictures. I have candled about 8 eggs at random and saw at least 3 with veins. The hatching eggs cost me £20 in total for 18. The incubator setup cost me £10 so im hoping for 3 chicks in order to break even on this project and it hopefully will be so much more rewarding than buying chickens which I guess I would of been lucky to get for £10 each sometimes £15.

I did notice when turning the eggs one has a crack in the shell although it is not fully cracked. Does this pose a problem?

Thanks

[davebeccles]

The only problem with cracked eggs is that if they go bad the bacteria could spread to the other eggs and impact upon your hatch. The advice is to always remove any cracked eggs upon discovery. On another note have you considered your humidity? Although not essential at the early stages you need to have warm damp air around the eggs for at least the last 4 days to support hatching.

Dave

[nuzuki]

Yes I have various sized dishes of water that I have been using to deal with the humidity but for now it is sitting nicely at 40% with no dishes. Is it worth putting up the humidity gradually or just putting it up in the last week.

I'll watch the cracked egg or candle it to see if its worth getting rid of or not. The sac is intact its only the shell that has a small crack. Ive just been turning this one extra carefully.

Also how can I be sure they will hatch dead on 21days? I read that if the temp is not quite right they will hatch it will just take a little longer, so whats the longest case scenario? I have brooder next to the incubator ready to transfer the chicks across to when they hatch. I am away the day they are meant to hatch so am hoping they will all hatch late just so I can witness the magic. Else im relying on the girlfriend to take some pics or videos for me.

[Casey76]

On day 18 you need to increase the humidity and then sit on your hands.  Do not open the incubator.

The chicks need to be dry and fluffed up before moving them to the brooder, and this can take several hours.  The chicks will be fine without food or water for upto 72 hours if they stay in the incubator.

[nuzuki]

Thanks Casey, so no turning of the eggs is required after day 18?

Here is my brooder box ready and waiting. I have a plastic sheet that goes over the top to keep heat in and need to make some adjustments to the height of the bulb depending on how the chicks react to it.


Here a pic showing the humidity dish in with the eggs


Humidity and temp reading


I seem to have a couple of eggs that are showing lighter areas of the shell. Its almost like these are weak areas of the shell


Cheers 

[kegs]

I had an egg with these markings too and it was one of the few that did hatch.

[nuzuki]

At first I thought this was the veins everyone was talking about then.... I saw some redish lines that were defintiely inside the shell and not on it 

[rileyfin]

I notice advice to turn eggs length ways, not sure what is ment by this. You must always make sure your hatching eggs are large end slightly elevated, pointy end down. marke egg with a o and x and roll 180 deg. at least 3 times a day.
You have to keep the large end slightly elevated as this is where the air sac is, when it comes to hatching time the chick will first break into the airsack then out of the egg around the larger end.
When candeling the eggs you should place the candler over the large end of the egg