Using egg cartons during lockdown?

[Gypsy07]

The auto turner in my incubator rolls the eggs back and forth as they lie on their sides. My first few hatches I left the eggs on their sides for lockdown. My next two hatches I put them upright in cartons for lockdown. I got a MUCH better hatch rate with the cartons. I think some of that may just be due to the hatching learning curve and me learning to leave the eggs alone and let them get on with things on their own, but I'm still going to stick with the cartons from now on. The chicks zipped more quickly and cleanly and the ones that popped out first couldn't kick the other eggs around the bator. And having the eggs in cartons makes it much easier to keep track of each egg. Also, I used cardboard egg cartons and my humidity was above 80% throughout lockdown and I had no problems with the cartons getting saturated or anything like that.

 

[BerrytangleFarm]

Quote:
So, if they're bantam eggs....like Seramas....will they have trouble pipping and zipping?? I mean, if I cut the egg cartons down enough to put the full top half of a Serama egg above the carton, I'm not sure it'd stay together!

 

[dmiravalle]

I have a question though, I am getting my first egg turner, how fast do you have to pull them out of the egg turner and place them in the egg cartons?? I worry about them getting chilled, especially if you have a large quantity.

 

[wolftracks]

I had never had much luck with cartons. Did great at hatching and then suddenly I was having major issues.

Chookschick helped me with a hatch and I've had two more since then and I have 56 eggs in lockdown right now. Marans eggs and I can't see a thing, so I'm sure not all will hatch.

Anyway this is a thread I started and she was so kind as to give a link to her cheat sheet. 100% hatches since this.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=446088&p=1

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

I put my cartons on angle so the eggs are still in there natural position, on there side. I never recommend hatching with the eggs on end. It cups moisture around the chick after internal pip. That could be a good thing if the egg is to dry or it could fill the lungs of the chick if the egg is to wet. The egg is built to be on its side at the point of internal pip.

 

[HOMEBODY12]

1. 
   If using a turner, why can you not just turn off turner and leave eggs in it to hatch?

 

[Colourful]

If you leave the eggs in the turner, might they get caught in it? It would also be much harder to clean...

 

[HOMEBODY12]

that is true, just curious why some use egg cartons after being in turner,​