moving eggs during lockdown

[xiang]

Hi all, first post here.

I'm hatching a handful of coturnix eggs and I've just put them in lockdown at day 14. Unfortunately, I've only just now realized that the flooring of my cheapo incubator isn't suitable for tiny quail feet, and that I should have a towel or something underneath the eggs. Is it safe to remove them long enough to put something in there, or should I just wait and hope for the best? If it's OK, would some plastic sheeting be good enough? As of right now they have been out of the turners for about 24 hours.

 

[Sonya9]

I probably would put something down for the chicks, choose something non-slick. A towel or that rubbery shelf liner stuff works well.

In nature eggs do get moved a bit even during the last 3 days. Place them back in the same position (same side up top) so if the chicks have positioned themselves for hatch they won't be facing the wrong way.

Also make sure you keep the humidity level the same after you move them, you don't want that dropping and staying low. A towel could absorb moisture from the air and drop the humidity so watch for that, might want to mist it a bit ahead of time.

JMO.