What Happens if You Don't Turn the Eggs in an Incubator?

Why Turning Eggs is Essential

Hens regularly turn their eggs, so it is important that we copy this habit in an electric incubator. But why? What will happen if we don’t? The first thing we need to look at is how eggs develop during incubation. Throughout the process the embryo grows into a baby chick, where improper temperature or humidity can spell disaster.

• Prevents Sticking: As the embryo forms, the yolk becomes lighter and floats upward. The chalaza—a twisted membrane—serves as a rotating axis to keep the embryo on top of the yolk, but it only connects to the ends of the egg, not the sides. The yolk will continue to float upward toward the heat source. If not turned, it will eventually touch and stick to the inner shell membrane, which is fatal. Regularly turning the egg prevents this and ensures healthy embryo development.
• Aids Nutrient & Waste Exchange: Turning allows the embryo to encounter fresh nutrients and oxygen. It also moves metabolic wastes away from the embryo. This is especially important during the first week of incubation.

How to Turn: Something that might seem obvious to an experienced hatcher but not to a beginner is which way to turn the eggs. We recommend placing eggs on their sides, as they are in nature. Turning should be from side to side, not end over end. The exception is commercial hatcheries that place eggs upright (pointed end down) to maximize space.

Methods and Frequency of Turning

How often and how far an egg should be turned depends on the species, primarily due to differences in egg composition and natural nesting behaviors.

• Chicken Eggs (and other fowl): Turn about 80 degrees every hour.
  Why? Chickens are ground-nesting birds, and this schedule mimics the hen's natural, less dramatic movements. The hourly frequency is a well-established standard in poultry incubation that ensures consistent heat and nutrient distribution, preventing adhesion without requiring extreme angles.
• Parrot Eggs: Require more frequent and larger turns—a good rule of thumb is 180 degrees a few times an hour.
  Why? Parrot eggs often have a larger yolk in proportion to the albumen (egg white). This makes the yolk more buoyant, increasing the risk of it floating to the top and sticking to the shell membrane much more quickly. The more frequent and complete 180-degree turn is necessary to counteract this and ensure the embryo remains safely suspended.

Manual vs. Automatic Turning

Manual Turning requires diligence. If you are not using an automatic turner, it is a good idea to mark your eggs to help you keep track. You can draw marks on each side of the egg where it should be turned, or even a numbered sequence for more accurate reference.

Automatic Turning offers convenience and consistency. When choosing an incubator with this feature, it is important to consider the turning method:

• Tilting Trays, Troughs/Channels: These are typically for commercial use with poultry. This method strays from natural turning and is not recommended for non-domesticated birds like parrots.
• Moving Floor/Rollers: A rotating floor or rollers turn the eggs. This allows for larger angles of turn and has proven particularly beneficial for non-domesticated, exotic species. Specialized incubators like those from Grumbach, Inca, or Brinsea’s Contact and Zoologica models use rollers.

Troubleshooting Turning-Related Issues

While it's not uncommon for some eggs to fail to hatch, troubleshooting can help improve future results. Turning-related issues often manifest in specific ways:

• Early Death (Days 3-6): Can be caused by insufficient turning.
• Mid-term Death (Days 7-17): Less common, but can be caused by improper turning.
• Failure to Pip: Inadequate turning results in decreased development and poor nutrient absorption, which can cause a fully-developed embryo to fail to pip.
• Dead in Shell (After Pipping): If an embryo pips but then fails to hatch, this can be caused by inadequate turning for the first 12 days of incubation.

Of course, these issues can be encountered due to a variety of other reasons. It is important to examine every aspect of the incubation process to help improve your method and ensure high hatch rates.

Brinsea: Copying Nature with Technology

Each species has different needs, and choosing the right incubator is crucial. Technology must follow nature's model. Brinsea incubators are designed to solve the key challenges of turning.

At Brinsea, we offer a range of incubators to fit your needs, from small 7-egg models to large cabinets. We have the right incubator for you; all you have to do is visit our website today to start incubating!