How much damage do newly hatched chicks do knocking about in bator?

[Suellyn]

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Hiya, That was me...

Yeah, basically I figured when in doubt, try to imitate Mother Nature, or in this case Mama Hen... Figured she has eggs on the side, not up on end, BUT, since she is sitting on them, they can wiggle & rock, but not roll all over the place, and/or whack into each other.

Hence the styrofoam with holes in it, are on side & can wiggle, but have "bumpers", so can't go far or hit into each other. Worked out well for me.

A couple people asked/warned that chicks might eat styrofoam, but it wasn't an issue for me, plus my whole 'bator is styrofoam!!

 

[millebantam]

I'm sure that everyone has there own experiences with different hatching methods, and all can be debated. My intent wasn't to debate the carton method. My point was, that not everyone hatches in a forced air bator, or everyone uses a turner. If someone is using a still air styrobator, and is hand turning eggs on the floor of the bator, then puts them in a carton without compensating, there can be a difference. Also, if an individual egg in a carton ends up directly beneath the wafer, it doesn't have the clearance to get out. I have seen that firsthand
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The carton doesn't put them any higher than they are in the turner. Mine are all forced air to I don't think there's much difference in the temps. I've only got one that has a heating element that they could get burned on and I always make sure the carton isn't directly under it.

I've never had a chick not be able to get out of the carton.

 

[hippichick]

Hadn't thought about that, Katy. I guess it really doesn't put the eggs any higher than the turner. And, yeah, Birdboy, different things work for different people. That's why we're all here, to give out all this different advice, different ways of doing things............We learn something new every day!

Paula

 

[BirdBoy88]

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your right

that's why i have been keeping my eye on this thread because something new always pops up on it..lol

 

[RHewitt]

I appreciate everyones advice and this has been my very first hatch with a bator. The carton method worked well for me and it is at the same height as the turner kept the eggs. The styrofoam and shipping foam methods both make sense to me because it is so close to the natural position. I may try them in the future but can't agrue with the success I had with the carton. I am 11 for 13 hatched and the other two are pipped and hopefully will hatch tonight. Thanks again to everyone for all your help!

 

[Akane]

Personally I haven't seen that the chicks knocking the other eggs around does any harm unless the humidity is too high. In too high of humidity downward pips tend to drown. In proper humidity some of my best hatches have had the wildest chicks with eggs getting slammed all over. Those are also the fastest hatches. Now I don't remove all the chicks until the hatch is done. Leaving one in there to peep and knock the eggs around encourages the others to get moving and they zip twice as fast.

However I did like carton hatching because I think it helps the chick position correctly and zip without getting stuck. I've had lots of chicks, even without their eggs getting shoved, pip the wrong end or directly in the middle of the egg on hatches that were laid on their side. Also lots of them would zip the length of the egg first and waste time instead of zipping around the end. With hatches in cartons every chick pipped at just the right spot and zipped cleanly around the end of the egg. Only one failed to push the top off and get out of it's egg. I removed the top when I took the rest out of the incubator and it was fine. With shipped eggs it seems even more useful because it not only helps position the chick but the air cell as well. So there does seem to be a benefit to it even if I don't agree with the main reason a lot of people do it.

 

[wegotchickens]

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I spend too much on shipped eggs to want to lose even one due to rambunctious siblings.

I'm going to try the foam idea, too.

So sorry.

, I was being insensitive to the buyers of eggs. Now that I look at it from that perspective... my comment wasn't really a good one. I was lloking from my angle with eggs, eggs and more eggs. I now understand that if you are paying for your eggs, every egg counts. Good luck with your hatch.

No hard feelings at all!

Even if I were okay with the chicks playing bumper-car with the unhatched eggs, it drives DH nuts! He makes me open the bator and get them out. So I'm hoping the foam will make him happy, too. I hate opening the bator while hatching is ongoing!
For someone who 'disapproves' of me hatching so much, he sure is soft-hearted when it comes to baby chicks

 

[Suellyn]

Hey, I just thought of something else that would work to hatch eggs on side, more similar to Millebantams plastic packing foam then to my styrofoam...

Have you seen those plastic "foamies"? They are kinda a "kid's crafts" item, come in lots of shapes & sizes both with or without "peel & stick" backing... They also come in 8X11" sheets (same size as notebook paper), in various thicknesses. You could get a thick one & cut holes in that, OR, if you want it deeper, get 2 with sticky backs & stick them together for a "double thickness" egg well.

Any craft store would have them & are not very expensive.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

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same here. it is also a much easier clean up. just toss the carton, and you dont have all the nasty stuff and egg shells stuck on the bottom of the bator.

 

[Pumpkinpup]

There are so many great ideas here! Thanks guys!