hatching in carton?

[acw123]

I have seen several people make reference to putting their eggs in cartons for lock down and hatching. Reading over the site this is the first time I have seen references to this. I am in my my incubation and Monday they go in lockdown. What exactly is hatching in cartons? Do I cut out individual cups or groups and set eggs in? Do I put the eggs in the same as in turner, small end to the bottom, large end to bottom, air sac up?? What is the benefit over just laying the eggs on their side? Please enlighten me.

 

[CCourson05]

less mess... You just take the carton out, and you are mostly done cleaning except sanitation...

 

[HenPenny]

Could we get some more details about hatching them in cartons? Such as placement position? Do they have enough room to break out of the egg? Do many people do it this way? I have some that will be ready April 11th. Woo hoo

 

[BawGock]

I hatch in cartons too. Air cell up.
I only use paper cartons and have had very little problems.
The only time that I can "blame" the carton for losing a chick is when I've had a chick pip on the wrong end of the egg.
But they may have died anyways.
But that happens like 1 in a 100 eggs incubated.
Carolyn

 

[Fay at Frizzled Feathers]

I hatch shipped eggs in an egg carton.

Just cut the top side off carton and use bottom part of carton. I poke out small holes in bottom of carton ,then I sit the eggs in just as if you were using a turner air cell up(small point down) and put them in hatcher. Seem to have better hatch rates with shipped eggs that way !

 

[HaikuHeritageFarm]

I think I will try this with this batch. I blame the loss of one of my last hatch to getting rolled around like a football by the earlier chicks that were still drying.

 

[tls_ranch]

I hatch in egg cartons too. I think it helps 99% of the chicks out. Only the few that pip wrong have problems. I can catch many of those just by keeping a close eye on the hatching. I also hatch in "strawberry" containers. It keeps the lines or eggs from individual hens seperate. Here is a picture of chicks hatching in cut down egg cartons in a strawberry container You can just see the small cups that I made out of the egg carton. When all 3 chicks hatch I simply remove the whole container, band the chicks and move them to the brooder.

 

[RioLindoAz]

You can go through the whole incubation process in egg cartons. Its much easier to turn the eggs.. Simply have an object to keep the carton tilted and switch sides three times a day.
You'll save tons of time because you won't have to individually turn them..

 

[acw123]

Thanks for the descriptions and the pic. It really helps me as a first timer. I think I will try it.

 

[kasey08]

This sounds like a great idea!