PSA: Dangers of Blue Paper Towels in Nurture Right 360 for Quail Eggs (and Other Poultry)

[FreeRangeFaith]

I want to share a warning for anyone incubating quail eggs (or other poultry eggs) in a Nurture Right 360 using blue paper towels as a liner, as I learned the hard way that they can cause serious issues. I used blue paper towels to provide grip for hatching quail chicks, but they blocked humidity from rising properly from the water wells, making it tough to hit the 65-70% humidity needed for quail during lockdown. The bigger problem came when I tucked a corner of the towel too close to the water well. Since the Nurture Right 360 needs frequent water top-ups for small eggs like quail, I overfilled it once, and the towel soaked up the water during lock-down, becoming completely saturated. This spiked the humidity to unsafe levels, and I had to use a low-power fan to stabilize it. My quail hatch rate was average, but I’m certain it would’ve been higher without this issue. This could affect chicken, duck, or other poultry eggs too, as humidity control is of course critical for all hatches. Next time, I’m switching to perforated shelf liner for better airflow and grip, which won’t block humidity or absorb water. If I use paper towels again if need be, I may cut them into strips to ensure airflow and prevent them from dipping into the water, even if overfilled. Has anyone else had this issue with blue paper towels in their Nurture Right 360 when hatching quail or other eggs? Are all shelf liners the same with the holes in it or what would you recommend for small eggs like quail to maintain humidity and prevent slipping? Any tips for managing water top-ups without overfilling? I’d love to hear your experiences and advice to help improve my next hatch and benefit others incubating various poultry eggs! Thanks!

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I use rug gripper, but you can use shelf liner too. Any is fine for any kind of hatching.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I have a different incubator but use a piece of window screen cut to size to give the chicks something to grip without impeding airflow.

 

[The Moonshiner]

I don't use anything

 

[FreeRangeFaith]

I have a different incubator but use a piece of window screen cut to size to give the chicks something to grip without impeding airflow.

I was thinking about doing that also. One reason that I might do the shelf liner still is that it seems like it has a little bit of a cushion which when the baby chicks are running around and knocking the eggs around I feel like that my cushion the rolling. I wonder what your thoughts are on this as someone who has used the screen before

 

[FreeRangeFaith]

I don't use anything

I think I probably would have been much better off not using anything. It just goes to show that sometimes less is actually more

 

[BoundlessLove]

I use shelf liner from the dollar store.

 

[Susan Skylark]

You need something for quail, those little legs can slip through a regular size hatch floor. I love shelf liner: cushy, traction, air flow, non absorbent, I even use it for manually turned eggs, you can even wash it by hand, air dry and reuse it. Paper towels block air flow, are absorbent and make a mess or can harbor bacterial growth when wet, the fan likes to blow them around, traction isn’t great, not a fan!

 

[FreeRangeFaith]

You need something for quail, those little legs can slip through a regular size hatch floor. I love shelf liner: cushy, traction, air flow, non absorbent, I even use it for manually turned eggs, you can even wash it by hand, air dry and reuse it. Paper towels block air flow, are absorbent and make a mess or can harbor bacterial growth when wet, the fan likes to blow them around, traction isn’t great, not a fan!

Thanks! Good points. I didn't think about the bacteria and the fan

 

[Ridgerunner]

I wonder what your thoughts are on this as someone who has used the screen before

I think I probably would have been much better off not using anything. It just goes to show that sometimes less is actually more

My incubator has a hard slippery bottom so I want something to give the chicks a grip so their feet do not slip so they injure themselves. Also, mine has water reservoirs that need to be covered. My incubator is different from yours so my needs are different.