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

[halo]

My last 2 hatches have been in the cartons. Its hard for me to tell if they are doing better in cartons; I havent been doing it that long. But they are more stable and dont get bowled over. I think there needs to be a happy medium somewhere, since I would think when a hen hatches eggs, the eggs dont get rolled around like they do in an incubator. They are certainly easier to clean after a hatch in a carton. Ill probably continue to hatch in cartons; I will be very careful to have the aircell side up.

 

[speckledhen]

A good discussion and many good points raised. Very interesting.

 

[perrym1962]

I try to use the cartons for the jumbo eggs and this seems to give them a bit more room on the sides. I too have had very good luck with this method.

 

[ChickNLittle]

I want to try the carton method, but I am so afraid that it could go on fire if it got too hot? Any danger of that? Also, it has to be the cardboards ones correct? The plastic would melt?

 

[twigg]

Quote:
No, the plastic ones would be preferable, they can be sanitised.

 

[twigg]

On balance, I am still inclined to view *egg carton hatching* as *busy work*

We have yet to establish whether or not the *rough and tumble* of the hatcher has ANY detrimental effect on the unhatched eggs, however rough it may seem to us mere observers.

On the other hand, we have ample evidence that very high hatch rates are achieved, daily, in open trays containing up to 200 eggs each.

I am completely unconcerned here with folk who want to use egg cartons. I cannot see a logical reason why this would reduce hatch rates; but neither has anything been proposed that would increase them either.

There are many things that can be done to incubators that would make them more stable, and thus more reliable. Maybe our time and effort might be better directed thataway.

Those who have seen human babies being delivered might be tempted to think that cesarean section must surely be less traumatic, therefore better. It just isn't so.

 

[therealsilkiechick]

alright i finally found this post again to update my serama hatch useing this method,lol. i use new paper cartons or egg flats in mine no tops and no holes cut. i usually hatch bantams but i hatched EE not long ago useing it also and i use standard or jumbo size to allow more airflow. i use carton during incubation alot in my sportsmans but also the racks but if useing either i use now carton last 3 days also.

anyways, i had ordered 48 serama eggs and boy r they buggers to hatch. got 60 sent to me and 51(one was a crack from ship fixed) went into the hatcher on day 18. day 21, 22 and 23 i had babies hatching like crazy. i got 24 total to hatch perfect only had to help 2 i think it was cause they were sticky and stuck part way out of the shell(humidity to low). they totally zipped on their own and came out faster than the old way of doing it and i had a great hatch rate for shipped eggs, i consider that almost 50% from what i put in hatcher. alot died in shells but it was due to breed and humidity they r so hard to get to make it to hatch. my last seramas useing the normal method just layin them on the sides with nothing i had 6 and got 1 baby, 4 died in eggs right before hatch.

i tried it on EE eggs i got from TB1 from a pick up and got 8 eggs all 8 babies hatched. i will always use this method it has greatly increased my hatches, it seams to allow babies to position better and to know to use the aircell end more. not one had been breech this time. the mess all falls in the cartons just throw away when done. easier for babies to get out they tip into open slot next to them since i set them in there every other one, tipped to the empty open one. once in awhile one will crawl out to bottom of hatcher but usually they r sitting there peeping waiting for someone to get them out of the carton. once they r fully zipped they r out quick ya don't got to wait forever. ya also don't have babies bounceing eggs around, cracking them together, getting them all nasty from their own hatch.

i got about 3 more hatches due soon first one goes in hatcher on the 10th will update on them also. first set is standards, maran and polish. i think it is a great method and definately reccomend it but i would recomend paper cartons since they are breatheable material.

silkie

 

[Katy]

I also use pulp/paper cartons. I don't reuse them, so I don't worry about having to sanitize them. I'd worry that the plastic or styrofoam ones wouldn't let the eggs breath as well.

Twigg...Not quite sure why you consider using this method "busy work". Would you care to explain? I have lost chicks over the years that got bumped around and ended up with their pip facing down. Even under a hen they don't get knocked and rolled around like that. To compare using this method to doing a cesarean for a human baby makes no sense to me. There is no more intervetion with this method than laying them on the screen on their sides......in fact I'd say there is probably less.

 

[Leslie In North Pole]

Quote:
Twigg's comments kind of threw me off as well. I am using pulp 18 count cartons as everyone always has a bunch to give me but I sell my eggs by the dozen. Once I am done, we just throw them in the burn barrel. I did notice that I was able to keep a lot more eggs in the hatcher at hatching time and didn't have the problem with eggs getting rolled into empty shells or eggs being pushed up against the side of the bator. Pips were also more obvious.

I would liken this method as birthing on your side instead of flat on your back... a c-section is more like when you are intervening and physically removing a stuck chick from its egg. Trust me, I have done all three both with chicks and with babies.

I don't have any evidence that this method is better or worse but I can attest that it is easy to use, makes eggs that are hatching or have hatched very obvious. I am happy with the staggered hatch I just had using it. The eggs I left in the cartons hatched much better than the eggs I laid on their sides during the hatch, as once pipping started, I lost at least one chick to drowning, even though the humidity wasn't that high.

 

[speckledhen]

All very interesting observations, everyone. Thank you for all the comments. I may try this with some of the current hatch and see what I think of it. Can't hurt to try something new, right?