Egg cartons for hatching?

[Gypsy07]

Every set of guidelines I read say that you should load your incubator by putting the eggs in fat end up or slightly up. But I have an incubator with an auto turner that the eggs lie flat on and get rolled over sideyways, so I can't really do the 'fat end up' thing. I got a reasonable result with my first hatch with the eggs lying on their sides but half of the chicks pipped in the middle of the egg and not into the air cell. One of them pipped underneath the egg on the pointy end and died in there. So I was wondering if I could let the eggs turn on their sides for the first 18 days and then when I go into lockdown put them fat end up in a carton? I never thought about it till I saw carton hatching photos here...

Other question: "Don't open your incubator till the hatch is finished and all the chicks are out." On my first hatch, the first chick was out and about a full 36 hours before the next one even got its head out. He was bopping around all over the place, clambering over the other eggs and kicking them about. I took him out not long after he'd dried off cause I was worried he'd damage the other eggs. But did I do more harm than good by opening the door to take him out? And should I really have left him in there for another two days without water?

All advice welcomed!

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
I do not to open bator if you have lots of babies hatching at the same time-but there are circumstances where you just have to get a lone chick out-I would have done the same thing-You lose temp andhumidity so fast when its opened is all and it could result in a slower hatch or create problems for the pipping chicks. I wait until theres a few chicks running around and take them out-12hrs ish...I would never leave them in for more than a day IMO-thats just me The carton thing I have never done but read many times where people only use them for lockdown with good results..

 

[Joyryder]

Hi!
Its amazing how 1 question always leads to another. When I went to lock down on my first batch, I removed my dividers to give the hatching chicks more room. Of course in doing that, the eggs went from fat end up to lying sideways. Also when I removed the clear eggs, I had some eggs that lied sideways also. Should the eggs be fat end up through hatching? I could use sections of cartons as space holder. What do you think?
Joanne

 

[Belgian Lady]

I just put my eggs in a egg carton with a small hole in the bottom of the cup. You can cut the carton up if you only have a few eggs to hatch out or 18 if you have that many to hatch. It keeps the eggs in place and the chicks that have hatched can't roll them around. Clean up is a breeze too. It works great. Hope this helps.

 

[chickenmeadow]

I have been using egg cartons for a few hatches now with no regrets. Keeps the air cell at the top (which can be seen when candling), where they have positioned themselves at around Day 19, after lockdown on Day 18. Also, the chicks can come out of the egg when they are ready, instead of being knocked & rolled around & forced to fall out. You could remove your turner on Day 18 for lockdown that day & put the egg carton in. You'll see what's best for you as you practice. Best wishes.

See post #347 on pg. 35 (I think that's right) There's a post there with pictures of a hatch progression with the carton.
FEBRUARY HATCH-A-LONG come join in (will keep a thread going for every month, it's so good to share, see & learn)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=288983&p=35