Hatching incubated eggs in cartons?

[Ren2014]

This is only my second time to incubate eggs and I'm thinking about using egg cartons for hatching. I would love to see what everyone prefers and hear any comments or suggestions you have. Also if you are a carton hatcher, please feel free to post pictures of how you cut your cartons down if at all.
Thanks to all!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

I'm in general a carton hatcher. Unless I have a lot of eggs and can't physically fit all the eggs in with cartons then I will hatch them on their sides. I've had good results using both methods. There are pros and cons with cartons though. With cartons you can't see if you have wrong end pipper and they do take a bit more room up in the incubator. On the plus side your eggs are not knocked about by hatched chicks which makes for easy monitoring of pips in eggs. Also I find it makes clean up a little easier. I would certainly advise cartons for shipped eggs that have damaged or misshapen air sacs. Here are a few pics ~

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

My favorite will always be the one where they segregted themselves by color. I just think it's so cute and funny how they grouped.

Weird isn't it!! But it's right and I've found the older ones of the same colour also gang up with each other. I have 2 WCB hens in one my pens and they are inseparable and do everything together. When I let them into the garden they don't stay with the flock they dash off together to get up to their own mischief!!
The buff ones I had were the same too. From my last batch of chicks I had a couple of black frizzles and they were together but when a lady came and bought some she only wanted one of the black ones as she wanted different colours. The other that was left bawked it's head off because her sister had gone even though she was still with others and not on her own. I'm sure they have a real bond with those of the same colour.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Of the 3 hatches i did i got 3 each time .... so glad i finally have a good incubator now even though i am yet to use it !!!

Get it cranked up and going!! How have you resisted not putting it on
When I got my Brinsea as soon as it was delivered I had it set up!! Could not stop myself and I had no will power what so ever

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Brinsea octagon 20 advance EX. Auto turn and does the humidity. Super fab incubator. Is literally set and forget barring topping the water tank up under the pump.

 

[lazy gardener]

Yes I will!! By the way, if the tiny hole hasn't got bigger at all by tomorrow, should I make the hole a bit bigger, should I help the chick?

You should leave it alone for at least 24 hours since the external pip (visible hole). Give it time. If you interfere, it could kill or harm the chick.

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

hii everyone! Sorry I didn't answer! I was extremely busy. My chick is absolutely epic! Here's a pic:

Congratulations, I'm so pleased the egg hatched for you
It could be a silkie as it looks like it has a vaulted skull. If you could post a pic of its head up that would be better. Was the egg white that it hatched from?

PLEASE HELP! I have 4 new eggs from the farm that im volunteering from! I candled them all, 2 where infertile but rotten, 3 where fertile one had brown stuff coming out so I put it in the bin. The past 2 eggs I have are moving around constantly. I think I have a TWIN egg! How do I know if a twin egg needs help to hatch?! Will it die? My other egg is moving too. I think it's on day 18. I can see blood veins and bubble. I see air bubble then veins then sudden darkness. Which I think is good.

I've never hatched a double yolk egg but if you type it into the search box above there are threads on it. Often one if not both chick die as there is just not enough room in the egg. Chicks can have deformities due to the fact of not enough room in the egg to develop correctly. Some have been successful in hatching them but have had to assist the hatch.

The other sounds ok, quite a big dark mass would indicate father on in development.
Have you got your incubator yet?

 

[JetCat]

Dorking, Faverolle, Houdan, Sultans, Silkie (and i'm sure a few i've mised) all have five toes

 

[WVduckchick]

Cool Ren! I have BY duck eggs on day 13, and chickens on day 6, all should hatch together on Dec 15th.
I have heard of elevating the large end, but mine usually elevate themselves because of the weight being mostly in the small end. You can roll up a paper towel if you want to try it, but I'd wait and see how they lay naturally. Just be sure to lay the lowest side of the air cell dip upward. JMO

 

[Ren2014]

Cool Ren! I have BY duck eggs on day 13, and chickens on day 6, all should hatch together on Dec 15th.
I have heard of elevating the large end, but mine usually elevate themselves because of the weight being mostly in the small end. You can roll up a paper towel if you want to try it, but I'd wait and see how they lay naturally. Just be sure to lay the lowest side of the air cell upward. JMO

Awesome, I'm so excited for you too. Mine should hatch on my DH's birthday, the 17th. I didn't plan that and it's funny for sure. We won't be going anywhere on his birthday,