Egg Carton Hatching Method Feedback *UPDATE*Tried It*Relults*

[AussieSharon]

I will add that mine had no trouble getting out and making it over the other eggs. As they got their land legs they even climbed back onto the unhatched eggs and took a nap.

 

[ChicknThief]

Quote:

This is EXACTLY what I have been fretting about. For some reason, we get a LOT of eggs that pip on the wrong end, but maybe that is more likely to change if the eggs are standing up?

I have also thought about doing a half-in-carton half out hatch myself, but I am having a terrible time getting myself to commit to this...

 

[rooster-red]

My hatch is still going on... at least I hope it is.

The data from my hatch isn't a real good measure of the method because of so many variables.

The eggs were from my own flock, from 27 hens and 3 different roo's.

I set 30 eggs, 12 of which turned out not to be fertile. that left 18.

4 out of the 18 gave up at day 14, that left 14.

3 have hatched, 1 from the middle of the middle row, 1 from the end farthest from the heat source, and 1 close to the heat source.

I'm hatching several different breeds but so far only the barred rocks have hatched.

They had no trouble climbing out of the carton.

 

[twigg]

For those worried about the potential risk, as opposed to the *obvious* benefits .....

Maybe the question is whether or not the eggs are disadvantaged by being rolled around by earlier hatching chicks.

Because if they aren't (and I know it looks rough) then the egg-carton is unnecessary.

I don't have a view about that, but I would add that the large hatcheries hatch hundreds of eggs in open trays with no obvious ill-effects.

 

[Katy]

I had one the pipped pretty low on the egg, but I just kept an eye on it and it managed fine.

 

[speckledhen]

I don't have a view about that, but I would add that the large hatcheries hatch hundreds of eggs in open trays with no obvious ill-effects.

That is a good point, Steve. You'd think that if it had a definite advantage, the big hatcheries would be all over it as their preferred method. And they do hatch them laying down in large trays.​

 

[twigg]

Cyn, the only reason I hesitate is that we do things on such a small scale that sometimes comparasions are mis-leading.

Whenever I am faced with questions or concerns about new ideas .... I do like to go back to first principles, and in this case I simply wonder if the eggs mind much being rolled around

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

The other thing I noticed with this method is that the chicks seem to "zip" the shell more like when a quail hatches, they don't seem to work as long at getting out.

As to pipping on the wrong end... just like with babies there are always a couple who refuse to come out like they should, there is no way of 100% avoiding it regardless of what you are doing. I know that several people who have helped chick that were pipping the wrong way found there was usually some other defect with the chick... it is quite often how nature culls. I have had them pipped wrong end under a hen as well.

 

[Katy]

Quote:
I would agree that as a whole mine have zipped much more quickly in the cartons than laying on their sides. I've wondered if it's because the eggs are stationery and the chick doesn't have to keep compensating for how the egg is moving. I realize that under a hen they are one their sides, but I don't think they are getting bowled around and moved like they do in the incubator.

 

[ebonykawai]

I was going to use this method for my last hatch but something in my head said not to. My first pip was on the small end and on the bottom, which I never would have seen and I don't know if that one would have made it, so I'm glad I didn't. I used hair bands instead and it worked really well. I had 7 out of 7 hatch. One was weak and ultimately didn't make it, but they all hatched out great. I want to try this method, but I'm a little nervous to just go ahead and do it.