Last 3 days in incubator for newbie

[mmrmm]

This is my first time to incubate eggs and so far I appear to have 16 fertile, developing chicks. I am turning off the egg turner tomorrow, in my styrofoam incubator, and was wondering if I should leave the eggs in the turner tray or take out the turner and place them on paper towels on the wire mesh bottom? I read both ways but wasn't sure what was recommended and all of the pics I see show them on the mesh screen hatching rather than in the turning tray (unplugged) or in cartons.

Thanks in advance

 

[WalnutHill]

Please take the eggs out of the turner. When the chicks hatch, not only will they make a horrendous mess of the turner, but more importantly they run the risk of getting their feet or legs caught between the trays. Paper towels on the wire mesh is much better.

 

[mswendeu]

Today is lockdown in my incubator as well. I removed my egg turner and am hoping for the best. I hopefully by saturday will have 6 lavender orphington chicks hatched. I also lined the bottom of the bator with rubber shelf liner to help in the no slip process.

Editing to say this is also my first time incubating.

 

[lazy gardener]

I'm on the same time line with you folks. I have at least one internal pip this morning! Hatch date tomorrow.

 

[mswendeu]

Here's to a good hatch for all of us.

 

[lazy gardener]

 

[mmrmm]

I will be turning my turner off tonight and setting the eggs on paper towels. I am not sure what you mean by shelf liner on the bottom, you mean on top of the wire mesh?

I read on ChooksChicks's tips that I will need to raise the wire mesh to the height of the egg turner so the eggs are heated at the same height after I remove the turner, did you all do that and if so, what did you prop the wire with?

Good luck to all of us, I will be so devastated if I fail, these are my pets.

 

[WalnutHill]

No need to raise the eggs. The slightly lower temperature is fine.

Many of us use perforated spongy rubber drawer liner for hatching. Soft, ventilated, good traction, reusable with good cleaning. Paper towels are fine but single use.

 

[mmrmm]

Thanks so much for answering my questions, I am getting so nervous knowing they have made it this far and don't want to screw it up now. I have some shelf liner I can use, that's a great tip. So eggs on the wire with shelf liner for their little feet and raise the humidity to roughly 75%? Does that sound right?

 

[dragon30276]

14 out of 19 for me