Egg Cartons?

[Swissmiss989]

Im getting ready for round two! I was looking about incubating using egg cartons. Would you use Plastic ones with the bottom cut out or would you use the old paper ones with the bottom cut out? Do you use them for the full 21 days or do you use them only for lock down? I have a LG with the fan kit. I am hand turning eggs also. Any advise is appreciated!

 

[cmom]

I have used the paper trays (with holes cut in the bottom of the cells) before I invested in a turner. I don't know if it is necessary but I do it that way. I put a wedge of wood under the middle and instead of turning the eggs individually I rocked the tray on one side then when it was time to turn rock the try to the other side.

Excuse my sloppy, not to scale, drawing but it's the idea. The trays in my cabinet incubator tilt side to side.

 

[rebel yell]

Quote:
I use the paper cartons for the full 21 days.

 

[Swissmiss989]

Thanks guys! And I love the drawing

 

[Gypsy07]

I suppose you could use either paper or plastic cartons. I don't imagine it matters too much as long as you cut the bottoms out so they get a good circulation of air round about them. I use paper cartons just cause that's what I've got handy, and I only use them for lockdown and hatching, cause all my bators have auto-turners. If I was turning by hand, I'd probably use cartons for the full length of the incubation, just cause it makes the job of turning the eggs quicker and easier.

 

[buffbeauty]

I always thought the paper carton absorbed alot of your humidity??......

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
Nope, not that I've noticed. I mean, not such that it makes any difference. Obviously they will absorb humidity to some extent, but I run my lockdowns at 75-80% and my cartons don't get damp or soggy or anything. Even at very high humidities they always feel stiff and dry to the touch. Also when I first started using the cartons I didn't notice any change in how quickly my bator got up to a high humidity after I put them in, or in how quickly the water evaporated and I had to top it up.

 

[buffbeauty]

Cool, just what I had heard so never used them. Nice to know!! Thanks

 

[Swissmiss989]

Do you have any worries about bacteria with paper egg cartons? Has the cartons helped your hatch rates?

 

[Gypsy07]

Quote:
No bacteria worries. I have a large stack of new cartons for selling my eating eggs, so I always use a brand new carton and wash my hands before cutting it down to size. I also wash all my hatching eggs and have never had any bacteria issues at all.

My hatch rates are now higher than they were before I started using cartons, but to be honest I think that's just cause my incubating skills have improved a lot since my first few hatches, and it's nothing to do with the cartons! I just use them cause I usually want to keep track of which egg hatched what chick, and that's much easier to do when the eggs are held still and can't be kicked all over the bator by the first chick to hatch. It also makes it easier to see zipping progress. But I don't think it improves hatch rates if you've got everything else about incubation fine tuned and are already having good hatches...