I !HATE! the egg carton hatching method!!! I think i am gonna cry :'(

[duck&chickencrazy]

So i was wondering why the last three of my duck eggs were not hatching...and the reason was because they had pipped on the wrong end

...this would'nt be such a bad thing but of course it was in the egg carton so i couldnt see it to take him out of the carton...i think that i might cry....he tried to hatch but couldnt because the stupid egg carton made it so he couldnt...

It's all my fault to...i never should have tried to do the egg carton method...

its really sad...two of them pipped on the wrong side, the one was dead and the other is still alive but i dont know what to do since he is hatching the wrong way....this was the first time that i have EVER done the egg carton method and it will be the last time i ever do the egg carton method....

i am just glad i looked before the other one died as well... when i saw the one that did die i really did almost cry...i could see his beak and some of his fuzz...

all i can think is that i had looked yesterday or something he might be alive...

 

[TriciaHowe]

Sorry for your loss. If you can see that the down is drying you will probably have to help the duck out. Take warm water and dap it as you go and it will help to loosen the membrane that is stuck.
Good luck!

 

[MoodyChicken]

I tried the egg carton method this year too... one of my chicks strained and pulled all his leg muscles and couldn't walk for three days because of it. They'll be hatching on their sides from now on.

 

[Chickenfeet]

I'm so sorry duck&chickencrazy. I actually had a similar experience with my first hatch. I used the egg carton and several has pip the wrong end. I am now expecting my 2nd hatch on Friday and I am not doing the egg carton. We'll see if it makes any difference. Alot of people swear by the egg carton, to each his own. Maybe give it another shot without the carton. Good luck and I am truly sorry for your loss. I see you raise chickens and ducks. What breeds do you have?

 

[duck&chickencrazy]

the ducklings that are hatching are mutts... heres the link...there are pictures...i am glad about the others though

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=166108

 

[Chickenfeet]

They're adorable.

 

[4boysmom]

I've had that problem a couple times in my last 2 hatches....not doing that method this time. I think we're going to use the fluffy ponytail holders as little nests to stabilize them on their sides....

 

[Backyard Farm]

So sorry for you loss!!

I use a modified egg carton idea

I take strips of cardboard (from any cardboard box) about 1" wide and lay them out about an 1" apart. Then lay other strips out going the opposite direction.

Then tape them together with little bits of duct tape or whatever. cut or make this grid to fit your bator/hatcher.

Then lay a paper towel across all of it.(non-slip shelf sheeting is good too... and washable)

This way I have a way to slightly tip the egg big end up or flat whatever I prefer BUT no matter how I set them---

They don't roll.

The babies don't get trapped in the egg cartons

the babies don't slip because of the paper towel

I usually start with big end slightly slanted up BUT if I see somebody has pipped at the wrong end. I just shift the egg and put pointy end slightly up. In my last hatch, I had two out of 10 that pipped at the wrong end... both had no trouble getting out.

it is so heartbreaking to loose babies...
hope this idea helps.

...fluffy ponytail holders sound like a good idea also!!

 

[onthespot]

While we are talking about things that backfire.... One time i thought I would be exta nice and put down paper towels over the wire for my chicks to hatch out on something soft. Well... the paper towel wicked all the moisture from any egg that the pip or zip touched the towel and a lot of them dried out and were glued tight in their shells and died before they could get out. So... no nice fluffy paper towels for them to hatch out onto either... just sharing my mistakes, which have been plenty, to help someone else not make the same one needlessly. Good luck all with your future hatches!

 

[Ruditchka]

Quote:
Wow, I also thought of using my 8 yr old daughters little pony-tail holders a few days ago! They seem to be perfect size to stabilize eggs on the screen without jeapordizing the chicks sorce of e"gg"zit! And to say I had led myself to believe I had been the first to think of using pony-tail thingee's! I'm always beaten by the masses! Geeeez!