Hatching in cartons

[Chickengirl1304]

If you hatch in cartons, do you cut them down or not? Do you have a picture of your set up for hatching?

 

[midget_farms]

My first hatch was in the carton all cut down - now I just tear the lid off & try to leave plenty of space between the eggs.

 

[mbleily]

If you hatch in cartons, do you cut them down or not? Do you have a picture of your set up for hatching?

I did it in our home made bator. I cut out the bottoms some and cut holes in the side for more heat contact. It worked.

 

[midget_farms]

the weard thing about hatching in cartons - at least for me, was the chicks seem to work pretty hard to get out of the shell. I think it helps them unzip, but then they have to climb out. They then fall into the carton & have to climb out of that too.

So - I still hatch in cartons - have never had a carton hurt a chick - but it just seems odd.

I guess its better than having the eggs kicked around by the chicks that get out - in the carton they are not disturbed by others. You figure in the nest they will be kind of held down by the hen - so I think its better for them in cartons.

But again - I dont cut them down any longer - just rip the top off.

 

[Aacre]

I incubate in cartons- LOVE incubating in them. But when it comes time for lockdown, I remove the eggs from the carton and lay the eggs on their sides. It seems like it would be harder for them to get out if they are in the carton, but I guess it's equally hard to try and zip without a carton.

I figure that out in the wild, they don't have cartons, so they have the instinct to figure it out when they're on their sides.
I do cut holes in the bottoms and slits in the little columns so that heat can be even throughout each egg.

 

[midget_farms]

I've never tried just laying them down.

I may give that a try this time