Non slip solutions for duck egg lockdown

[Sondraa]

I am new in this small mountain town in Tasmania. Can't find non-slip things here. No hardware store and the 2 shops here don't sell them. I don't want to drive to a city and back and leave the eggs for such a long time. My first incubation experience I didn't put anything down. One of the eggs did roll but no harm was done. The first duckling that was born did look like a cartoon character on slippery ice though. Question is.....how important is the non-slip mat? Second question is....if deemed very important to egg/duckling safety, what are other options? Would cheese cloth or chux work? Or would they add other dangers? I am only hatching 4 eggs. I really don't want to do something stupid and put any of them at risk. We are day 24. Be straight and free with your suggestions. Thank you all in advance.

Ps...using janoel12 incubator and I have to monitor it and adjust regularly to avoid catastrophe. So definitely not leaving the house for 3 plus hours this close to the end after all we have been thru together.

 

[Debbie292d]

We use rubberized shelf lining in ours. Those are nice as you can cut a few of them to size, then throw in the washing machine with the laundry when done with them. I hang mine up to dry though as I'm not sure about drying them in the drier.

This prevents splayed legs from slipping when first hatched.

 

[Sondraa]

Yes. I tried to find those here but alas...no. anything else you have used?

 

[nuthatched]

Thin fabric?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I'm not familiar with that incubator but I use 1/4" hardware cloth in my Hovabator. Window screen should work. With no hardware store handy hopefully you have something available.

 

[Sondraa]

Hi! Thank you..can you tell me what hardware cloth is? We don't have that expression.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi! Thank you..can you tell me what hardware cloth is? We don't have that expression.

Wire mesh available at a big-box building store (Lowe's or Home Depot in the US), hardware store, or sometimes a feed store. It generally comes in 1/4" or 1/2" squares (probably 6 or 13 mm in Tasmania).

You may have better luck with window screen. I'd be OK with metal or plastic.

 

[Debbie292d]

Yes. I tried to find those here but alas...no. anything else you have used?

No, as that works and can't imagine it wouldn't. Not sure what you tried but this is rather thick, not paper thin. I bought it years ago at a Dollar Store, so I don't have a link, but I'll go find something similar.

Found what looks like ours here.

 

[Sondraa]

Yes. I understand. No one has anything like this locally. Alas. Well, my first hatch (only other hatch) I didnt have anything and they were fine. I am afraid to use something that hasn't been tested by anyone so...I think I have made an executive decision. Someone else recommended a window screen mesh. Not a screen on one of the windows here...otherwise I would cut one up.