How do you position your eggs during lock down?

It's supposed to be large end slightly elevated which basically means laying them on their side.

I doesent really matter. They can be in egg cartons, as long as they have enough space to hatch. You can lay them on their sides if you want, I preffer doing it that way. But, If you even noticed, eggs have that conical shape, which is a big end and a small end. This means, even if you lay them on their sides, the big end will still be slightly elavated. Lots of seagull type birds that lay their eggs on the rocky cliffs by the shore, lay very exagerated conical shaped eggs,real big wide end, and a tiny pointy end. This is so the eggs don't roll of the cliff, instead, they roll in a circle around the small end of the egg, plus it helps during incubation because the big end is more elevated.

Good luck with your hatch!

Very informative response above mine here. Kudos to you "The Chickeneer". It's the first time I found a good answer to that question.

Also, I totally agree with you about chicken addicts. I have never been addicted to anything unhealthy...I even limit my sugar intake to minimal amounts. They say sugar is more addictive than alcohol and it may be the number one cancer causing agent. I'm more health conscious than most because I have severe Fibromyalgia w/ chronic fatigue syndrome and need to exercise, eat right, and take a lot of vitamins/herbal supps. to feel OK. My chickens are my stress reliever. It's an addiction that benefits me heart and soul.  

goose and emu eggs I hatch on their sides... for all others it depends on how much room I have in the bator.. if there isn't enough room to lay them on their sides .. then they are incubated and hatched standing on end.  Once some of the eggs hatch I move them around and lay the remaining ones on their sides as room permits. 

Granted Mother Nature intended for them to hatch on their sides.. but for MOST eggs leaving them upright works just as well. 

So basically, if you have room lay them down.. if you don't then leave them upright

Oh this is great information!!! I've been wondering this exact question for when I get my incubator done. Thank you guys for the question and the answers!

I always just leave mine in the cartons and have had 100% hatches. I feel the chicks have oriented themselves to the upright position and if I lay them down it might mess them up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azriel 

I always just leave mine in the cartons and have had 100% hatches. I feel the chicks have oriented themselves to the upright position and if I lay them down it might mess them up.

nah.. they will roll those eggs all around and still hatch fine.. some people worry cause it seems that the chicks who have already hatched play soccer with the remaining eggs.. so as long as you don't turn them completely upside down (pointy end up) they can still find their way out

Quote:

Originally Posted by yinepu 

nah.. they will roll those eggs all around and still hatch fine.. some people worry cause it seems that the chicks who have already hatched play soccer with the remaining eggs.. so as long as you don't turn them completely upside down (pointy end up) they can still find their way out

x2 I agree with yinepu,but If you do use cartons cut the bottom off so the humidity is more even.

Can I tack on a question of my own... may be attaching to the wrong thread, but here goes.  Am making a styrofoam box incubator with fan and thermostat, light bulb heat source, primitive egg turner (thinking of a 1/4" plywood open top/bottom box with wire or string to separate eggs into rows, then pull box down or up in bator for eggs to roll 180 degrees.)  Any how, would large mesh plastic needlepoint sheets over 1/2" hardware cloth be ok for the bottom?  Do any of you have issues with hatchlings getting their toes caught in the bottom.  I can buy 1/4" hdw cloth, but don't want to unless I truly need to.

Thanks.  I appreciate all of the useful info I am getting from these threads.