Keeping the eggs from rolling...

[Poulets De Cajun]

Anyone have a good tip for securing the eggs from rolling or being knocked around by newly hatched chicks fumbling around? The eggs that are still left to hatch often roll around the bottoms of my hatching trays when they are knocked around by other chicks, and I can't figure out a way to secure them without inhibiting the actual hatching.

I thought about making some paper pulp and forming it in a shallow curved shape with a slight edge, that way I can just dispose of them after a hatch or two.

 

[BawGock]

I place mine in paper eggs carton (top removed) on day 18...worked pretty good.
Carolyn

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

I thought about egg cartons, but they hold the egg verticle, and even though it may not be a detriment, I dont think its very "natural"... if there is such a thing in artificial incubation.

 

[BawGock]

Yeah, I see that, never seen a chicken hatching a vertical egg.

But I was worried about an egg being rolled into another and cracking it prematurely.
Luckily, mine all pip higher on the egg so I didn't have to deal with any pipping low.
And the clean up was great.
Carolyn

 

[gabrielle1976]

well if you want natrual then let them get knocked around you dont see mama hen divdieing the eggs or doing anything to keep the chicks from bumping the eggs.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

ok... there has to be a happy medium, without loosing more eggs than is necessary due to untimely smashing...

 

[Katy]

That's why I switched to hatching in cartons over a year ago. Being bowled around by the earlier hatchlings isn't exactly natural either!!

I've had much better luck hatching in the cartons.

 

[Poulets De Cajun]

Well Katy... since you put it that way I'd have to agree with you... LOL

 

[BawGock]

Quote:
Yes, but they generally in a nest not on a huge flat surface where they can gain speed!

Carolyn

 

[magikchick]

I put towels over the wire, works pretty good.