I need your thoughts and opinions............

[Chickenpoor]

My eggs go into lock down on the 13th and I was trying to think of a way to keep each egg seperate so when a chick hatched it wouldnt knock the other eggs around. This is what I came up with. Each square is around 3 1/2'' X 4''. I was just wanting to get a few thoughts and opinions on it. I was mainly wanting to know if yall think the the spaces are big enough for the chick to open the egg and come out. I put an egg out of the fridge in one of the spaces so yall would have a better idea of how much space there was for an egg to hatch.

Thanks for any and all input

 

[Chick Charm]

I'm not sure. It seems to be to small. However, eggs hatching in a nest wouldn't have that much room either. Interesting and innovative so cuddos for that. Tell us how it works out.

 

[Chickenpoor]

Im thinking it will be to small also. Althought I was thinking like you and thinking about how under a hen all the eggs are real close together and there is less room. I got the idea from a box of canning jars because they have the little sections each jar goes into to keep them from bumping each other and breaking. Im going to get a few more opinions before I actually decide to use it because I dont want to risk my hatch.

 

[BlacksheepCardigans]

Quote:
More than enough room - you could hatch four in each of those compartments, honestly. A whole bunch of us hatch eggs in egg cartons; I hatch mine in the Brinsea rails so the eggs are actually touching each other.

My only concern with the way you've engineered your compartments is that the chicks are going to try to get over that cardboard, and they'll succeed. They're shockingly strong and they want to be together. I'd either hatch yours in cartons (small end down, and cut the bottom and top off the carton - you want to leave enough framework to hold the eggs upright but not so much that they can't breathe or the chick can't get out) or use your cardboard idea but only three or four sections and cut down the sides of each section so the hatched chick can leave the group. You'll end up with a dozen eggs hatching at the top and then chicks congregating at the bottom.

Like, um... this:

 

[bargain]

Yes, you need a top hardware cloth! I learned the hard way!

Happy hatching and have a blessed day...Nancy

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[Chickenpoor]

Ok thanks for the input. I have a piece of screen wire that goes over it I just wasnt thinking to put it in the pic.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Are you looking to keep the chicks seperate at hatch, for recording parent info, etc?, or just to prevent them from knocking the eggs around? If just to prevent them from knocking other unhatched eggs around, egg cartons work perfectly. Once I tried it, I haven't hatched without cartons.

 

[Chickenpoor]

Quote:
Im wanting to keep them separate at hatch to prevent them from knocking the eggs around. I was thinking of trying egg cartons but I have heard mixed reviews of how successful hatches were when it was used and I dont want to risk my hatch.

 

[Chickenpoor]

Here are pics of it with the screen. I had to take the dividers completely apart so that I could cut them and make them shorter so the top would fit on it.

 

[drumstick diva]

How long after hatching would you leave them in their separate cubicles? I'm thinking chicks want to cuddle up with other chicks - if they can't they'll be wearing themselves out PEEPING to high heaven.