Hatching in egg carton???

[minikeeper1143]

I will be at day 18 of my first hatch Monday 5/25. I have seen that some folks hatch in egg cartons instead of loose in the incubator. I would like to know the pros and cons of this method so I can decide what to do with my eggs. Any input will be greatly appreciated.

Carolyn

 

[DANNY]

Hey Carolyn
I think it is harder for a bird to get out of the egg with it in a carton. It's nature's way and all the commercial hatchery's way as well as everybody i have know for the last 40 years of hatching. If it works it don't need fixing.

 

[NYREDS]

Quote:
I second that except for me it's been even longer thann 40 years.

 

[Katy]

My hatch rates have went way up since I started hatching in a carton over a year ago. Mine don't have any trouble getting out of the egg when it's in the carton. As a rule they zip much faster for me too. I'll keep doing it that way. I know other people who have good luck with them just laying on their sides.

Actually rolling around on the bottom of an incubator isn't nature's way.....in a nest under a broody they are nestled together and don't get rolled around by the first ones to hatch.

 

[mediazeal]

I have had mine in the egg carton the entire 21 days. My incubator rocks the entire thing, not just the eggs. I have them in the cartons since they are shipped eggs and I'm trying to be sure the air cell stays at the top.
I think if shipping was not part of the deal, I would keep they lying down the whole time with something to keep them from knocking together.
No one drowns in egg cartons if they are positioned up at hatch.

Since mine are vertical during incubation, I leave them like that for hatch.

 

[ChickBond 007]

I took mine out of the turner and into an egg carton for hatching. I had the same hatch percentage that I did without using the carton. It does make a cleaner hatcher.

 

[KnightslilAngel]

I've had the same delema.
My eggs arrived with ruptured air cells so i used the carton threwout the incubation. i kept the egg that's air cell hadnt 'fixed' in the carton. but the other 2 who are fine are layed down

they are schedueled to hatch today so I'll tell you what happens :3

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

I totally despise the egg carton way...my first time trying it the babies (2 of them) hatched on the wrong end and because of that they died because they could not get out

so i wont be trying that again any time soon!

 

[Peeper7]

My home-made incubator has a nice little nest-like depression in the center of the wire. I have turkey eggs in there now and I keep them in a tight group in the middle with their narrow ends pointing toward center. I was planning to put some cheesecloth around the batch to keep them from playing bumper car when they hatch.
But can't say what results will be. The carton idea makes me a tad nervous.

 

[EweSheep]

I've used this method in the last two years and had good success with it without any loss of chicks hatching out except for those who were born with yolks exposed outside of bodies. Quick clean up too! And would not change my methods anyway. Dont like the rolling around of eggs either.

Heres the success I've had: