Carton method - something I want to try...

[living2ride]

I used the carton method on my last two hatches, and in inspecting unhatched eggs after the fact, found that I had several in both groups that had developed chicks that died before pipping. In most, they were upside down. With both groups, I had the eggs lying on their sides and hand-turned them the first 18 days, then put them into the cartons to hatch. Now this may have had absolutely NOTHING to do with the carton method, but... I have to wonder whether they would've been able to hatch if left on their sides... so now my next experiment will be putting them in cartons from the beginning and just doing the "prop up each side" method of turning. That way they are air-cell side up all along and maybe they'd have a better chance of getting themselves oriented the right way for hatching. I've got a few days coming up that I'll be gone, so I'm leaving the bator empty until then. How pathetic am I that I wish I didn't have this trip planned now so that I didn't have to take this bator break? I've definitely got the sickness.

You guys are all a bad influence. You know that?

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, if they were upside down, they may have drowned in the carton. I have had a few sucessful breech hatches which I don't think would have been able to make it had they been in a carton. I just put them on their sides in rows made with k'nex or wood so there is limited rolling.

Best of luck!

 

[K&H Chicken Farm]

I had found some plastic egg trays at Easter. The type you put eggs in so they do not roll away on there side. I may try one of them next hatch.
Shelly

 

[Crunchie]

I incubated and hatched in cartons this time. I've got some still hatching, but I did have a couple that pipped at the bottom half of their shell in the carton. I moved the ones I found to their sides on the bottom of the incubator, but I think it may have been too late for them. For the most part, though, the method sems to be working well. I think I have only had two that didn't pip and zip at the top of the shell.

 

[VaM715]

I just finished my first hatch. I set 38 eggs in a turner, candled them at day 18 when I put them in the egg cartons. I found two infertile and the rest looked good. I hatched out 35 of the 36, the one pipped but he was upside down in the shell. Then I lost one other that for some reason just couldn't get his butt out of the egg shell bottom. When I got home his head was fuzzy dry, but his bottom was still wet. I think the stress of trying to get out never let him recover after I helped him.
The carton method, IMO, is fantastic. Other than being a little crowded as to the amount of eggs I set, it worked great. Here is a pic from last night with 29 in the temporary brooder.

 

[hart31]

The chicks I've hatched in the carton were also incubated in the carton. I will continue to use this method. The only drawback for me has been space and I could easily add another shelf to my "tv" bator if I wanted to.

I'm taking some 10 day old chicks and some 5 week old chicks to the 5th & 6th grade classroom in town today.