Egg cartons at lockdown?

[shellybean40]

I have noticed in a lot of pics some are using egg cartons to hold eggs at lockdown. What is the purpose of using these?

 

[elcunni75]

I used them to keep the eggs from banging into each other and cracking shells too early.

I cut them down low and put a hole in the bottoms to make sure the egg still got air circulation!

 

[mtcookie]

I had great success with this. I trim them down low and cut holes in the bottom as well.

 

[Kittymomma]

Me too. It really seems to help my blood pressure when the chicks can't (usually) play egg soccer with their slower hatching sibs. Clean up is easier too since most of the mess stays in the carton. I also put rubber shelf liner (the kind with the holes) down over the wire so the chicks have something with good traction to stand on. I think it helps keep down splay leg and also catches any of the mess that makes it out of the carton so I don't have to try to get dried crud off of the styro.

 

[aussieheelr]

I've done this twice. The first time, less than half in the carton hatched. The second time I had 30 eggs in the bator at lock down, all were from my own flock, and only used 1 carton for 12 of the 30 eggs. All but 2 hatched from just laying on their sides and only 3 hatched in the carton. I've noticed it is much more difficult for them to get out of the vertical egg and if you think about it... the eggs lay on their side under a hen, not on their peak.
And I did cut it down and cut out the bottom to allow circulation.
I won't use a carton again for hatching, sure they bang around laying on their sides, but I've only noticed that it would coax others out and never saw an egg cracked due to rolling.