"lockdown" box - liner or wire grate bottom?

[acw123]

New to hatching and am just wondering when I put my eggs in their lockdown box should I put them directly onto the fine metal mesh grate that comes with the incubator or should I put something on top of the grate like paper towel or something else so that when they hatch they are on the grate or the other??? Also does the temp stay set the same as when incubating days 1-18?

 

[jettgirl24]

I put that rubbery shelf liner stuff down but it's up to you. The wire should be just fine, I just wanted something a little cushier that might keep the eggs from getting rolled around so much when the first chicks popped out.

 

[acw123]

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[gavinandallison]

Quote:
I use wire, but I also sit my eggs upright in a paper egg box wth the bases cut out to allow sufficient humidity to flow around the eggs. It also means the air sac is at the top and once hatched you can throw the egg box away! The new hatches will climb out onto the wire and leave 90% of the mess behind!

 

[gallatea]

Wire is fine, as long as you think they can stand on it (holes not too big). They can get splayed legs from slippery surfaces. I like paper towel as it's permeable to air, but is softer, is not zinc coated like most wires (poisonous) and no splayed legs - nice surface to walk on. It also aids in the drying off of chicks, but I suppose the airy-ness of wire would help w/ that too. Also, temp is supposed to be 1 degree lower for hatch (last 3 days). I go by Story's Guide to Raising Chickens and my own experience with successful hatches.

 

[bargain]

If you use a cabinet incubator, by the way it is designed the temperature will be lower because the lockdown portion is on the bottom and remember that hot air rises, so it will be lowest on the bottom of the unit. Happy Hatching...Nancy

 

[acw123]

lots of great information to consider. thanks to everyone who responded.