Will the chicks harm the un-hatched eggs?

[KDailey]

I'm concerned that the chicks in my incubator that have already hatched will harm the un-hatched eggs by jostling them around too much. They're not breaking them or anything but I heard somewhere that if the eggs are knocked around too much that they can become disoriented and not hatch.

My last hatch I just took out the chicks after they were mostly dry but this time I'm wanting to actually obey the rules of lockdown and not open it until 1. Everybody is hatched or 2. The chicks are 3 days old and need to be fed/watered.

So will the chicks harm the eggs?

 

[KDailey]

Anybody have any ideas?

 

[Madcap621]

I hatch out of cut down egg cartons to prevent egg carnage. Have never let the eggs just roll around. I cut down the sides about 1/6 and take the bottoms out of the cups and tops off of the divider peaks to enhance air circulation.

 

[KDailey]

But how would the chicks be able to get out if the egg is stuck in one spot. It seems my chicks have the hardest time hatching when they are up next to another egg or between another egg and the incubator wall. They can't get the shell off as easy it seems

 

[Katy]

I hatch in egg cartons....I just cut the lids off and don't trim down the bottom half at all. Even the bantams I hatch have had no trouble getting out. They pip, zip and then pop the top off. Set there awhile and then push themselves out of the bottom half of the shell. MY hatch rate went up once I started using the cartons and didn't let them play kick ball with the unhatched eggs.

 

[KDailey]

So the chicks could actually harm the unhatched eggs?

I had one lady tell me that someone told her that the hatched chicks in the incubator actually encouraged the other chicks to hatch.... but I wasn't sure about that.