Firstly, I apologize for the long post…
This will be my second time hatching eggs but my first with an incubator, the first time I used my broody hen. I have 7 eggs in my incubator set to hatch next week. But I have a dilemma… I’m going on vacation and the eggs will be with me when they hatch! We’re going 7 hours away into the mountains.
The first problem is safely transporting the eggs without disrupting their air cells or messing with their ability to position themselves for hatching. My plan was to use pool noodles which I cut down the center to keep the eggs from bouncing (they fit snuggly into the hole in the middle of the noodles). But the more I have read, I’m not sure if transporting them large-end-up in the egg carton would be safer or if they need to be on their sides. So my first question is, should I transport them on their sides or on their ends? Also, does anyone have a better way to pack them in the incubator (instead of pool noodles)?
I’ve travelled to the mountains before and have learned the hard way not to bring canned soda to the much higher altitude. I’m freaking out now that the altitude may harm the chicks. I tried looking it up but the only things I found was about boiled eggs, not altitude… Anyone know if the altitude will affect them?
As if this trip won’t be stressful enough with my unborn chicks, I have another problem… my eggs are hatching on 3 different days!
-4 eggs will hatch on June 27th.
-2 eggs will hatch on June 29th.
-1 egg will hatch on July 1st.
I don’t have an automatic turner so I have been hand turning them. The first set of chicks will be hatching on days when I should still be turning the other eggs. However, if I open the incubator mid-hatch, I’m afraid the membrane will stick to the chicks who have pipped and kill them. Should I just leave the other eggs unturned for the last 5 days before they hatch?
A recap of the questions:
This will be my second time hatching eggs but my first with an incubator, the first time I used my broody hen. I have 7 eggs in my incubator set to hatch next week. But I have a dilemma… I’m going on vacation and the eggs will be with me when they hatch! We’re going 7 hours away into the mountains.
The first problem is safely transporting the eggs without disrupting their air cells or messing with their ability to position themselves for hatching. My plan was to use pool noodles which I cut down the center to keep the eggs from bouncing (they fit snuggly into the hole in the middle of the noodles). But the more I have read, I’m not sure if transporting them large-end-up in the egg carton would be safer or if they need to be on their sides. So my first question is, should I transport them on their sides or on their ends? Also, does anyone have a better way to pack them in the incubator (instead of pool noodles)?
I’ve travelled to the mountains before and have learned the hard way not to bring canned soda to the much higher altitude. I’m freaking out now that the altitude may harm the chicks. I tried looking it up but the only things I found was about boiled eggs, not altitude… Anyone know if the altitude will affect them?
As if this trip won’t be stressful enough with my unborn chicks, I have another problem… my eggs are hatching on 3 different days!
-4 eggs will hatch on June 27th.
-2 eggs will hatch on June 29th.
-1 egg will hatch on July 1st.
I don’t have an automatic turner so I have been hand turning them. The first set of chicks will be hatching on days when I should still be turning the other eggs. However, if I open the incubator mid-hatch, I’m afraid the membrane will stick to the chicks who have pipped and kill them. Should I just leave the other eggs unturned for the last 5 days before they hatch?
A recap of the questions:
- Should I transport my eggs (on days 20, 18, and 16 of incubation) on their sides or on their ends?
- Any suggestions on how to pack them in the incubator?
- Will the altitude affect them?
- Should I leave the newer eggs unturned for the last 5 days to save the older eggs from getting stuck?
